Niger Reports US 'Threat' of Sanctions if Uranium is Sold to Iran

Niger's Prime Minister stated that after the head of the US delegation announced that the African country would face sanctions if it signed an agreement to sell uranium to Iran, military cooperation with the US was severed. Ali Lamine Zen claimed in an interview with the Washington Post on Tuesday, May 15, that Molly Fee, the US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, threatened Niamey during negotiations this spring for the extension of US troop presence, saying that 'if an agreement to sell uranium produced by Niger to Iran is signed, sanctions will be imposed.' According to the Prime Minister of Niger, military cooperation with the United States 'collapsed' following this stance. A secret agreement for Niger to sell '300 tons of yellowcake worth $56 million' to Iran was reported by Le Monde on May 10, stating that the military government of Niger still intends to sell hundreds of tons of refined uranium or 'yellowcake' to Iran. Niger has officially denied such intentions, but this has raised concerns in Washington and Paris. In the Prime Minister's interview, it was also unclear at what stage the contract with Iran for the sale of 'yellowcake' is. Mr. Lamine Zen, referring to his discussions with Ms. Fee, said, 'I told her, you came here to threaten us in our country. This is unacceptable.' The military government based in Niamey announced in mid-March that it was ending its military cooperation agreement with Washington shortly after a US delegation left the country in West Africa. Niger, hosting a major US drone base near Agadez, is considered a key base for counter-terrorism operations in West Africa. In April, the US agreed to withdraw over a thousand personnel, and negotiations with Niger are ongoing. Zen, who has led negotiations with the US, stated in another part of the interview with the Washington Post, 'The Americans stayed on our soil and did nothing while terrorists killed people and burned cities.' The Prime Minister of Niger also noted that Russia, Turkey, and the UAE 'welcomed our new leaders with open arms.' Last August, Niger's presidential guard staged a coup against President Mohamed Bazoum, and since then, relations between Niger and Western countries, especially the US and France, have deteriorated. In addition to concerns about terrorism, the current situation in Niger and other recently coup-affected African countries has heightened worries regarding Iran's nuclear file. Following the coup, the military government expelled former colonial French forces from the country before the end of 2023 and increased ties with Russia. Russia sent military trainers and equipment to Niger in April and May. Meanwhile, according to Niger's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, US development aid is set to continue with a new agreement worth nearly $500 million over three years.