Trump says Iran cannot possess enriched uranium amid ongoing talks

US President Donald Trump on Thursday suggested that US control over Iran's enriched uranium stockpile could be part of any potential peace agreement with Tehran to ensure that Iran cannot develop a nuclear weapon.

"We'll probably destroy it after we get it, but we're not going to let them have it," Trump said at the White House.

The US president reiterated that Iran should not be allowed to obtain nuclear weapons.

"Right now, we're negotiating and we'll see, but either we're going to get it one way or the other. They're not gonna have a nuclear weapon," Trump told reporters. "We cannot let Iran have a nuclear weapon, that's all it is."

However, on the Iranian side, a source has said that Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei had directed that uranium enriched to near weapons-grade levels must remain inside Iran.

Amid negotiation standoff, Pakistan is continuing its mediation efforts in hopes of securing a deal.

A Pakistani senator said in a media interview on Wednesday that negotiations between Iran and Pakistan, as well as between Pakistan and the United States, were still ongoing. He said Pakistan was making every effort to bring all parties back to the negotiating table, narrow differences, reach an agreement and end the war.

The senator added that US-Iran negotiations were moving in the right direction and expressed optimism over the progress already achieved.

According to reports, Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff Syed Asim Munir, a key mediator in the talks, was expected to arrive in Tehran on Thursday.

Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said in a media interview that the current priority of negotiations is ending the war across all fronts, including Lebanon. He said media reports surrounding nuclear issues, including enriched uranium debates, were merely speculation and lacked credibility.

Earlier Thursday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said there were "some good signs" in the ongoing negotiations, though he cautioned against being "overly optimistic."

As the deadlock in US-Iran negotiations continues, the Strait of Hormuz remains blocked, pushing up global oil prices.

International Energy Agency Executive Director Fatih Birol on Thursday warned that the global oil market could enter a "danger zone" in July or August if supply conditions do not improve.

Speaking at an event hosted by Chatham House in London, Birol said oil demand usually rises with the start of the peak travel season in late June and early July. However, global inventories continue to decline while no additional oil supplies from the Middle East have entered the market. He warned that if these conditions do not improve, the oil market could enter the "red zone" in July or August this year.

Birol noted that many countries are entering planting and farming seasons, but the current energy situation could make it difficult for farmers to operate as they normally would, potentially driving up food prices. Rising food prices, combined with higher oil prices, could further intensify inflationary pressures.

He also said that in March this year, IEA member states coordinated the release of 400 million barrels of strategic oil reserves to stabilize the market, adding that the agency stands ready to coordinate further releases if necessary.

Amid tensions in the Middle East, the European Commission on Thursday released its 2026 Spring Economic Forecast, lowering the European Union's growth forecast from 1.4% to 1.1% while raising its inflation forecast to 3.1%.