Tensions Rise as Iran Threatens Uranium Enrichment Amid Fragile Ceasefire

Tehran has issued a stern warning regarding its potential to enrich uranium to weapons-grade levels should the United States resume military strikes. This threat comes in the wake of US President Donald Trump's dismissal of Iran's latest peace proposal, which he called 'completely unacceptable,' raising concerns that the ceasefire, currently strained, may be on the verge of collapse. Ebrahim Rezaei, a member of the Iranian parliament and spokesperson for its National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, announced the warning through a post on X (formerly Twitter), indicating that the parliament would debate the issue. In a separate statement, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the speaker of Iran's parliament, issued an ultimatum to Washington, stating that the US had no choice but to accept Tehran's demands or face failure. Trump has characterized the ceasefire as being 'on massive life support' after the Iranian foreign ministry labeled US demands as unreasonable. Reports suggest that Trump convened his national security team to evaluate the possibility of renewing military strikes against Iran. In addition, Israeli media reported that some Israeli citizens received threatening text messages allegedly from Iran, warning them that they would 'see the sun in the night skies,' a phrase interpreted as a reference to potential missile or drone strikes from Iran. Central to these tensions is the issue of uranium enrichment. Iran currently possesses around 400 kilograms of enriched uranium, refined to 60%, dangerously close to the 90% threshold required for weapons-grade material—a situation that is a core concern for Washington. Iran has maintained that its right to enrich uranium is non-negotiable but has suggested that it remains open to discussing the level of enrichment. President Trump has consistently asserted that Iran will not be allowed to acquire nuclear weapons under any circumstances. The US has insisted that Iran either remove its enriched uranium stockpiles abroad or cease enrichment activities for a minimum of 20 years. Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, indicated that Iranian negotiators had previously claimed that Iran held around 460 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60%, which could be upgraded to weapons-grade material in just one to two weeks—enough to potentially create approximately 11 nuclear warheads. Previously, Trump claimed that Iranian officials had verbally agreed to the removal of enriched uranium from a site that he described as having been obliterated by US strikes, although this commitment was not reflected in the written proposal eventually submitted to Washington. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has made it clear that the conflict with Iran cannot be considered resolved until its nuclear capabilities are dismantled. In a CBS News interview, he reiterated the need for the physical removal of Iran's uranium stockpiles on the ground. The 2015 nuclear agreement, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), had originally limited Iranian enrichment to 367 kilograms and stockpiles to 300 kilograms for 15 years. However, the US withdrawal from the deal in 2018 by Trump initiated a gradual rollback by Iran, which began increasing its enrichment levels first to 20% and then beyond 60%, prompting repeated warnings from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Following US and Israeli strikes in June 2025 and the initial phase of the ongoing conflict that began in February, Trump stated that Iranian nuclear facilities had been 'obliterated,' although satellite imagery released in March indicated no significant new damage to the Natanz facility or its tunnels. The ceasefire, which took effect on April 8 through mediation by Pakistan, followed 39 days of intense US and Israeli military actions against Iran, commencing on February 28. Subsequent talks in Islamabad failed to yield a durable agreement, prompting Trump to extend the truce without establishing a definitive deadline. Iran's response to a US proposal was delivered through Pakistan on Sunday. Related Sources: • Source 1 • Source 2