U.S.–Iran Agreement on Uranium Downblending

• Under a Memorandum of Cooperation aimed at easing tensions in West Asia, the United States and Iran have agreed to downblend Iran’s highly enriched uranium under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency.
• Downblending is the process of reducing the concentration of uranium-235 by mixing highly enriched uranium with lower-enriched material, making it unsuitable for nuclear weapons.
• The primary objective is to curb nuclear proliferation by decreasing the quantity of weapons-grade uranium available.
• The move is expected to strengthen international monitoring, build confidence, and support diplomatic efforts to address concerns over Iran’s nuclear programme.

APSC Relevance: Nuclear non-proliferation, IAEA, West Asian geopolitics, and international security.