The nuclear challenge at the heart of Trump's Iran negotiations

The nuclear challenge at the heart of Trump's Iran negotiations1 hour agoShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleTom EdgingtonBBC VerifyGetty ImagesThe US is confident that a deal to end the war with Iran will be signed in the next few days, a senior Trump administration official has said.The agreement could reopen the Strait of Hormuz in return for the US lifting its blockade on Iranian shipping.While officials say the deal will also lead to the destruction and removal of Iran's enriched uranium stockpiles - a key component of nuclear weapons - the technical details are still being worked out.If and when an agreement is signed, it will likely be judged against the 2015 nuclear agreement negotiated by the Obama administration and other nations, which was abandoned by Trump during his first term.Trump's 'nuclear dust' plansUranium is a naturally occurring radioactive element. It contains special properties that can be used to fuel nuclear power plants, but also help develop nuclear weapons.However, it needs to be "enriched" first, a process that involves increasing the concentration of uranium-235 isotope - the essential component of nuclear fuel.Since the war started on 28 February, Trump has repeatedly said Iran needs to surrender its stockpiles."They're going to give us the nuclear dust", he said on 29 March.He reiterated this in an interview with NBC on 7 June, saying: "If we make a deal now we're friendly, we'll all go together. It'll be our equipment. We'll take it out and destroy it, whether it's onsite or whether we take it offsite."Iran, however, has previously said "zero enrichment" is a red line and a violation of its rights.Getty ImagesTrump has said Iran needs to hand over its "nuclear dust"The fate of Iran's uranium stockpile was central to the 2015 nuclear agreement - the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) - which imposed strict limits on Ir...