Iranian negotiators told the US that they possess enough uranium enriched to 60% to create nuclear material sufficient for bombs, the Trump administration's special envoy Steve Witkoff told Sean Hannity on Fox News on Monday night.
Notably, Iran would have needed at least two years to actually make a nuclear bomb.
The Iranian negotiators reportedly told Witkoff and US President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner "directly and with no shame" that they control 460kg. of 60% enriched uranium, and were aware that it could be quickly enriched to 90% in order to make nuclear bombs, Witkoff said.
The Iranians were proud that they had evaded all oversight protocols to achieve this, he added.
Listing out the situation, Witkoff reported that Iran possessed approximately 10,000kg. of fissionable uranium, which is broken down into roughly 460kg. of 60% enriched material, 1,000kg. of 20% enriched material, and the remainder at 3.67%.
However, as Iran manufactures its own centrifuges to enrich the material, there is almost no way to stop them, and they have an endless supply, Witkoff stated.
A further angle of threat is that 60% enriched uranium can be further enriched to 90% weapons grade in roughly one week, "maybe 10 days," at the longest, Witkoff noted, and even 20% enriched uranium can reach weapons grade in 3-4 weeks.
Iran has an inalienable right to enrich nuclear fuel, Tehran's envoys claim
The Iranians also told Witkoff and Kushner that they have the inalienable right to enrich all the nuclear fuel that they possess, with Witkoff noting that is how negotiations began.
In return, the US envoys replied that Trump feels the US has the inalienable right to stop Iran dead in its tracks, Witkoff told Hannity.
The Iranians then said that their "inalienable right to enrich" would be the starting point, to which Witkoff and Kushner shared a look and said, "we are really in for it now," he continued.
Hannity asked Witkoff about efforts to offer Iran a scenario in which they could maintain uranium at a low-enrichment level.
In response, Witkoff revealed that the US offered Iran a deal where it would not enrich any uranium for 10 years, and the US would pay for fuel on behalf of the Iranian state. This offer was "flatly rejected," Witkoff said.
The rejection told Witkoff and Kushner that the Iranians had no notion of doing anything other than retaining uranium enrichment for the purpose of weaponising the material, he told Hannity.
"They sit there as if Operation Midnight Hammer never happened," Hannity responded, referring to the US airstrikes damaging Iran's nuclear facilities in June 2025.
The Iranians thought they could strongarm the US, Witkoff responded.
Trump sent the envoys to determine if Iran was serious about doing a deal that addressed the president's objectives, Witkoff stated.
Trump's objectives, according to Witkoff, were to eliminate Iran's missile program, eliminate its advocacy and support for terror proxies that are destabilizing the Middle East, eliminate its navy to ensure freedom of the seas and prevent a potential shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz, and to ensure Iran cannot achieve nuclear enrichment.
"We went in there and tried to make a fair deal, and it was very clear it was going to be impossible, probablyby the end of the second meeting. We went back for a third meeting to give it another try, but that meeting was not positive," Witkoff concluded.