Iran refuses to surrender enriched uranium, threatens to strike US bases in Europe if attacked

Iran’s security chief, Mohsen Rezaei, said the country would keep all its enriched uranium, rejecting US demands to give it up as part of a political settlement. He said Iran needs the material for nuclear-powered ships and submarines, and threatened to strike US military bases in Europe or elsewhere if aircraft based there attacked Iran. The remarks underline the distance between Tehran and Washington as they seek to end a conflict.

Rezaei also warned that Iran could target distant US installations and islands, without specifying which; the article says he may have been referring to Diego Garcia. Iran is reportedly producing about 50 ballistic missiles a month, around half its pre-war capacity, and has announced an underground facility for missiles. The article says Gulf countries face more than $200bn in war-related damage and economic losses, with the figure potentially quadrupling by 2030.