Weitkov and Kushner Meet Secretly with Nuclear Experts to Discuss Iran File

SadaNews - Amid ongoing negotiations between Washington and Tehran, U.S. President Donald Trump's envoys, Steve Weitkov and Jared Kushner, made an unannounced visit to the "Oak Ridge" scientific laboratory in Tennessee on Thursday to consult with a team of technical experts who may play a role in nuclear negotiations with Iran. An American official stated that the meeting at "Oak Ridge," linked to the Y-12 National Security Complex that specializes in handling sensitive nuclear materials, "indicates that the negotiations have reached a very serious stage, and that there is a chance to reach an agreement, and therefore we need to prepare," according to a report published by the "Axios" website on Friday. The report also clarified that around 100 experts have been assembled recently to participate in the negotiations in the event of reaching a preliminary agreement, where Weitkov and Kushner met together during the visit to discuss preparations for implementing any potential agreement. It added that some of these experts had previously participated in operations related to nuclear materials from Venezuela that were recently transported to the United States for processing. Moreover, U.S. officials confirmed that some of these experts also participated in previous operations related to transferring nuclear materials from Venezuela, and they had also been involved in previous rounds of negotiations with Iran in Oman before the war. They also indicated that the U.S. administration is receiving positive signals from the Iranian side despite internal divisions in Tehran about how to proceed with the agreement. Initial Understanding for 60 Days According to sources, last week an initial understanding was reached for 60 days between both sides to extend the ceasefire, reopen the Straits of Hormuz, allow Iran to sell oil, and begin discussions about enriched uranium stockpiles and future enrichment restrictions. However, there are still disagreements, including the duration for dismantling or reducing uranium enrichment, as Washington demands a 60-day period, while Tehran wants 90 days, in addition to a dispute over the timing of releasing frozen Iranian funds. American sources reported that the United States wishes to release the funds after reaching a final agreement and concrete implementation steps, while Iran demands the release of part of it immediately. The report noted that the Iranian envoy for UN talks stated that negotiations have hit a deadlock regarding the frozen funds, adding that "the ball is in Trump's court." If the negotiations move to the second stage, the team of experts will take on the task of planning how to deal with Iranian nuclear materials, impose additional restrictions on enrichment, and establish mechanisms for compliance verification.