Russian President Vladimir Putin introduced a plan to export enriched uranium from Iran to Russia during an informal meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. This proposal comes as U.S. President Donald Trump has stated that he will not allow Iran to retain high-enriched uranium.
According to the TASS news agency on May 20, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov briefed reporters on the discussions between Putin and Xi. Peskov noted that Xi explained to Putin details regarding Trump’s recent visit to China, and the issue of Iran was also discussed.
Peskov stated that Putin described the plan for transferring Iran's enriched uranium to Russia, calling it a proposal that could be accepted if both Iran and the U.S. deem it appropriate. Russia has indicated that the acceptance of this plan is contingent upon the judgments of the U.S. and Iran.
This proposal arises amid ongoing negotiations where the export of Iran's enriched uranium has become a key issue. Recently, Trump responded negatively to a question about whether Iran could continue to hold high-enriched uranium in future agreements, stating, "No." He also expressed intentions to destroy the uranium after its export.
In contrast, Iran maintains a firm stance against exporting its uranium. Reuters reported that two senior Iranian sources indicated that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has instructed that low-enriched uranium should not be sent abroad. Iran believes that exporting high-enriched uranium could make it more vulnerable to potential attacks from the U.S. and Israel.
The contentious issue revolves around Iran's stockpile of 60% enriched uranium, which significantly exceeds the level needed for civilian nuclear fuel and approaches the 90% enrichment required for nuclear weapons. Russia had previously proposed transferring Iran's enriched uranium to its territory last month, but the U.S. rejected the idea.
Peskov also criticized the U.S. regarding the situation in Cuba during the same briefing. He stated, "The U.S. blockade of Cuba has devastating effects on the general population," adding that military posturing only worsens the situation for the Cuban people.
Peskov expressed opposition to the indictment of former Cuban National Assembly President Raul Castro, stating, "We oppose the U.S. approach of pressuring other countries' leaderships," and declared that pressure on Cuba is unacceptable.
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.