Iran's Nuclear Programme and the JCPOA
The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), signed in July 2015 by Iran and the P5+1 (US, UK, France, Russia, China, Germany), aimed to restrict Iran's nuclear programme in exchange for sanctions relief. The deal limited uranium enrichment to 3.67% purity and capped Iran's enriched uranium stockpile. The US withdrew from the JCPOA in 2018 under the first Trump administration, reimposing maximum pressure sanctions. Iran progressively breached JCPOA limits in response — by early 2025, it was enriching uranium to 60% purity, approaching weapons-grade level (90%).
- The IAEA reported in March 2025 that Iran had accumulated 275 kg of uranium enriched to 60% — well above the 3.67% cap set by the JCPOA.
- Following the June 2025 twelve-day Israel-Iran war, in which Israeli strikes targeted Iranian nuclear facilities, Iran announced the termination of the JCPOA framework in October 2025.
- Iran declared it had ceased uranium enrichment in November 2025; the February 2026 Geneva talks constitute the first formal diplomatic re-engagement on nuclear matters post-war.
- Iran's enrichment of uranium to weapons-grade (90%) would require approximately 12-15 kg of highly enriched uranium per weapon under standard calculations.
● Tracked since February 14, 2026 · last seen May 20, 2026 · updates as the daily brief publishes
20 May '26
Iran examining U.S. proposal, as Trump says in ‘final stages’ of talks
International Relations
14 Mar '26
Trump rejected Putin's offer to move Iran's uranium to Russia, Axios reports
International Relations
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