Russia signals readiness to help remove Iran’s enriched uranium

The Kremlin said discussions about Russia potentially taking custody of Iran’s enriched uranium have long been on the agenda, as Moscow continues to position itself as a mediator in efforts to address Iran’s nuclear program.

Asked whether Russia was holding talks with Iran and the United States on such a possibility, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Moscow had repeatedly offered its services as a means of easing international tensions, Iran International reports.

“Russia has been offering its services for quite a long time as a possible option that would lead to the removal of certain irritants for a number of countries,” Peskov said.

Iran, however, has denied any intention of transferring its enriched nuclear material abroad, with a senior Iranian official pushing back against earlier reports suggesting otherwise.

Ali Bagheri, deputy for foreign policy at the secretariat of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, said Tehran had no plans to move enriched nuclear material out of the country. “Iranian officials have no plan to transfer enriched nuclear materials to any country, and negotiations are not about such an issue,” he was quoted as saying by state media.

Bagheri’s remarks followed a Reuters report citing an unnamed Iranian official who said diplomatic efforts were continuing and that Iran was prepared to show flexibility on uranium enrichment. According to that report, such flexibility could include the possible transfer of around 400 kilograms of highly enriched uranium under specific arrangements.

By Vafa Guliyeva