The Trump administration is eyeing a massive high-stakes swap to prevent a nuclear nightmare.
According to a new report from Axios, the U.S. is weighing the release of $20 billion in frozen Iranian assets in exchange for Tehran handing over its entire stockpile of enriched uranium.
The clock is ticking loudly.
A two-week ceasefire between the two nations is set to expire on April 22, 2026, and President Trump signaled on Thursday that a deal is "very close."
The goal is to strip Iran of nearly 2,000 kilograms of enriched uranium currently hidden in underground bunkers, including 450 kilograms purified to a dangerous 60% level.
The two sides are currently fighting over a three-page Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
While the U.S. wants every gram of nuclear material shipped out of the country, Iran is pushing to dilute it at home.
A potential middle ground would see some of the highly enriched material sent to a neutral third country while the rest is neutralized under international watch.
Money is the main motivator for Tehran, which is desperate for financial relief.
However, the fine print is a battlefield.
The U.S. is demanding a 20-year freeze on all enrichment activities, while Iran is only offering five years.
If signed, the deal would force Iran to move all nuclear research above ground and keep existing underground sites permanently out of commission.
It also aims to cool down the boiling tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, which has sent global shipping and fuel costs into a tailspin this month.