'Iran could have produced 11 nuclear bombs:' Witkoff reveals details from negotiations
U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff said Iranian negotiators openly bragged about their uranium stockpile and nuclear potential, a revelation he says made clear that Iran had no intention of reaching a genuine a
Steve Witkoff, Middle East envoy for U.S. President Donald Trump, said negotiations with Iran collapsed after Iranian officials openly asserted their intention to enrich uranium at levels sufficient to produce nuclear weapons.
Speaking in an interview with Fox News, Witkoff described moments of disbelief inside the negotiating room, recalling how he and Jared Kushner exchanged embarrassed glances as Iranian representatives outlined their nuclear ambitions. “The Iranians made it clear from the start that they believe they have an undeniable right to enrich all the uranium they possess,” Witkoff said. “That was how they opened the talks.”
Witkoff said U.S. negotiators firmly rejected that position, responding that Washington reserved the right to immediately halt Iran’s enrichment activities. According to him, Iranian negotiators doubled down, indicating that enrichment was only a starting point rather than a concession. “Jared and I just looked at each other and thought, ‘Is this really happening?’” he said.
The envoy revealed that Iran dismissed a U.S. proposal that would have barred enrichment for a decade, even with Washington offering to supply nuclear fuel at its own expense. “That was the moment we understood they had no intention of doing anything other than enriching uranium for nuclear weapons,” Witkoff said.
According to Witkoff, two Iranian negotiators openly acknowledged possessing roughly 460 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60 percent—an amount he said they admitted could be converted into as many as 11 nuclear bombs. “They weren’t hiding it. They were proud,” he said, adding that Iranian officials also boasted of bypassing international monitoring systems to reach that point.
Tensions reportedly escalated during talks held last Thursday in Geneva, when Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi began shouting after the U.S. delegation reiterated its demand for a ten-year halt to enrichment. According to NBC News, Witkoff responded calmly, telling Araghchi, “If you prefer, I can leave.”
Following the meeting, the U.S. delegation briefed President Trump on the breakdown. Trump was reportedly surprised by the Iranian stance, according to a senior administration official cited in the report.
Witkoff concluded by expressing deep frustration with the process. “President Trump sent us to see if Iran was serious,” he said. “But by the second meeting, it was clear a deal was impossible. We came to the third meeting in good faith, and they wanted us to project optimism. There was nothing optimistic about it.”