Iran says will not allow enriched nuclear material to leave country

Iran will not allow even a single particle of its enriched nuclear material to leave the country and will retaliate if the United States launches fresh strikes against the Islamic Republic, Iranian security chief Mohsen Rezaei said. Speaking to Lebanon's pro-Iranian Al Mayadeen TV, Rezaei's remarks came after US officials played down the need for further military action against Iran. Analysts have also pointed to a more conciliatory tone from President Donald Trump since Republicans' defeat in the November 3 midterm elections.

Rezaei said there were currently no negotiations between Tehran and Washington. He warned that any fresh US attacks would be met with retaliation. "Any new US attacks will also be met with targeting US bases far away," he said. Iran's Supreme Leader has directed that the country's near-weapons-grade uranium must not be sent abroad, two senior Iranian sources told Reuters in May. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) estimated that Iran had 440.9 kg of uranium enriched to 60%, a level far higher than required for civilian use, when Israel and the US attacked Iranian nuclear facilities in June 2025. How much of that material survived the strikes remains unclear.

Israel, the US and several other Western countries have long accused Iran of seeking nuclear weapons. Tehran denies the allegations. Washington has said Iran's nuclear programme must be part of any initial negotiations aimed at ending the war between the two countries. Earlier last week, a senior Iranian official told Reuters that Tehran had sent a nuclear proposal to Washington through Qatar. However, the proposal would be discussed only after the US meets seven demands put forward by Iran.

Iran warns of gas shortages

Seperately, Iran is facing the prospect of worsening gas shortages this winter after damage to processing facilities during the war with the US. Government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani warned on Tuesday that supply cuts could affect the entire country, including the capital, Tehran, if consumption remains high. "If the level of consumption is high it is possible that gas cuts will occur all over the country including in Tehran," she said at a news conference in Tehran. Mohajerani forecast a gas supply shortfall of 430 million cubic metres this year, compared with around 300 million cubic metres in previous years.

Iran, a major oil producer, controls part of the world's largest natural gas field. However, outdated infrastructure and international sanctions have often made it difficult for the country to meet domestic demand. The situation has worsened following damage to gas processing facilities during the conflict. Iran is also currently under a US blockade of its ports. The country was already experiencing gas shortages and power cuts before the conflict began with US and Israeli air strikes on February 28. Last week, the company warned that 11 of Iran's 31 provinces could face gas supply difficulties this winter. Mazandaran, on the Caspian coast, and Golestan and North Khorasan, along the border with Turkmenistan, were identified as the most vulnerable. With winter approaching, Iranian leaders have called on citizens to reduce their gas use to prevent supply disruptions.