President Donald Trump said on April 17 that Iran has agreed to transfer what he described as “nuclear dust”—material he claims resulted from U.S. airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.
In a social media post, Trump stated, “The U.S.A. will get all Nuclear ‘Dust,’ created by our great B-2 bombers — no money will exchange hands in any way, shape, or form.”
He emphasized that the agreement does not involve financial compensation and is separate from recent developments in Lebanon, where a ceasefire with Israel has taken hold. Trump added that the United States would continue working with Lebanon to address the Iran-backed terrorist group Hezbollah.
The president reiterated his claim that Iran has agreed to surrender its enriched uranium. However, Iranian officials have not confirmed any such agreement. If verified, the transfer would mark a significant step toward limiting Iran’s ability to develop nuclear weapons.
Trump has used the term “nuclear dust” to refer to highly enriched uranium that, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), remains buried deep underground following U.S. strikes in June on three major nuclear sites. U.S. officials consider this material a serious security concern, warning that it could potentially be recovered and used in a nuclear weapons program.
The Epoch Times has reached out to the White House for more details on Trump’s announcement.
The announcement came as tensions in the region continued to evolve. Iran has reopened the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global shipping route through which roughly 20 percent of the world’s oil supply passes.
Despite this, Trump said the U.S. naval blockade on Iranian ships and ports would remain in place until a broader agreement is reached.
“The blockade will remain in full force until our transaction with Iran is 100 percent complete,” he wrote in a follow-up post.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi confirmed on social media that the strait is once again fully open to commercial traffic, as a fragile 10-day truce between Israel and Hezbollah appears to be holding.
Trump initially welcomed the reopening but quickly clarified that U.S. pressure would continue. He also stated that Iran, with U.S. assistance, is working to remove naval mines from the waterway.
The blockade was imposed earlier this week after Iran restricted access to the strait amid escalating tensions tied to the conflict in Lebanon. Tehran had described those restrictions as a response to what it viewed as violations of a Pakistan-brokered ceasefire involving the United States, Israel, and Iran.
Trump’s decision to maintain the blockade, despite the reopening of the strait, appears intended to sustain leverage as diplomatic efforts continue. Recent direct talks between U.S. and Iranian officials ended without a breakthrough, with major disagreements persisting over Iran’s nuclear program and other key issues.