Sheeraz Raza

Kazakhstan has offered to take Iran’s uranium stockpile if the United States and Iran reach an accord on Tehran’s contested nuclear programme, UN nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi told the Financial Times on Friday. The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency met with Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev in Astana this week. The Financial Times said the Kazakh leader had expressed his country’s “openness” to store the stockpile enriched to near weapons grade level.

US and Iranian negotiators have agreed on a framework for a 60-day ceasefire extension deal but it still needs President Donald Trump’s approval, US sources told AFP on Thursday. The sources confirmed a report by the Axios news outlet that the two sides had reached agreement on a memorandum of understanding to prolong the truce and launch negotiations on Iran’s nuclear program. There was no immediate confirmation from Trump himself, or from Iran.