Trump's advisors Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner traveled Thursday to the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee to form a team of experts who could play a key role in the ongoing negotiations with the Iranian regime.
The United States and Iran are negotiating a memorandum of understanding that would end the conflict and initiate talks for Tehran to abandon its nuclear program and hand over its stockpile of enriched uranium, including the material that was at the facilities attacked by U.S. bombers in June 2025.
"This meeting in Oak Ridge does not mean that an agreement will be finalized, but it is a sign that negotiations are in a very serious phase, that there are good chances of achieving it, and that we want to be prepared," a U.S. official told the media Axios.
B-52 bombers attacked the regime's nuclear facilities last year
From Venezuela to Iran
International agencies estimate that the Islamic regime possesses around 440.9 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60%. This far exceeds the 3% to 5% enrichment typically required for civilian nuclear energy, or the approximately 20% used for research purposes. It is also not far below the 90% that is generally considered military grade and suitable for weapons, which explains why Trump decided to launch Operation Epic Fury.
The Oak Ridge National Laboratory houses the world's leading experts in uranium processing, workers who have also handled materials from Kazakhstan and Libya and helped recover enriched uranium from Venezuela a few weeks ago. In total, Trump has formed a team of 100 experts to participate in nuclear negotiations in case a preliminary agreement is reached.
It is believed that Witkoff and Kushner traveled to Tennessee to discuss preparations for a possible implementation of a nuclear agreement. The diplomatic envoys agreed on the terms with their Iranian counterparts last week on a 60-day memorandum of understanding that would serve as a framework for broader negotiations aimed at addressing the more complex issues.
If the Iranians agree to Trump's demands, the dialogue would advance to a second phase where the Tennessee expert team would have to develop a plan for the elimination of Iran's nuclear material. The team would also determine how to further limit the enrichment program and verify compliance.
