Iran will not permit even a single particle of enriched nuclear material to leave the country, and there will be consequences if there are new attacks by the United States against the Islamic Republic, said the Iranian security chief, Mohsen Rezaei, in televised remarks.
Rezaei spoke to the pro-Iranian Lebanese broadcaster Al Mayadeen TV after American authorities downplayed the need for further military actions against Iran, with analysts noting a more conciliatory tone from U.S. President Donald Trump since the Republicans’ defeat in the midterm elections on November 3.
Rezaei stated that, at present, there are no negotiations underway between Tehran and Washington.
“Any new U.S. attacks will also be answered with attacks on distant American bases,” he said.
The Supreme Leader of Iran issued a directive determining that the country’s uranium, nearly suitable for military use, should not be sent abroad, two senior Iranian officials said in May.
“We need the enriched material to design ships and submarines that operate on nuclear power,” Rezaei said, adding that Tehran had informed Moscow that its enriched nuclear material would remain in the country and “we will use it ourselves.”
Russia had already offered to remove Iran’s uranium as part of a possible deal to ease U.S. concerns, but said it would be up to Tehran to decide whether to remove it or not.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) estimates that Iran possessed 440.9 kg of uranium enriched to 60% — a level far above what is necessary for civilian use — when Israel and the United States attacked Iranian nuclear facilities in June 2025. It is not clear how much of this material survived.
Israel, the United States and other Western countries have long accused Iran of seeking nuclear weapons. Iran denies the accusation.
Washington has said that nuclear issues should be part of any initial negotiations with Iran with the aim of ending the war between the two countries.
Iran sent the United States a nuclear proposal via Qatar, to be discussed only after Washington meets the seven demands put forward by Tehran, said a senior Iranian official to Reuters last week.
(Reporting by Elwely Elwelly and Jana Choukeir)
