Moscow, Russia – Web Desk: Russian President Vladimir Putin has reportedly discussed Iran’s nuclear program and regional tensions with Chinese President Xi Jinping during a meeting in Beijing, according to a Kremlin statement.
The Kremlin said Putin proposed that Russia could take custody of Iran’s enriched uranium and store it on its territory as part of efforts to reduce tensions between Iran, the United States, and Israel and promote regional stability.
Officials said the proposal is not new and has been discussed for some time. Russia has previously offered similar arrangements, including during earlier nuclear negotiations involving Iran, and claims it has experience managing such transfers.
According to the statement, an initial agreement among parties reportedly existed, but later diverging positions emerged. The United States allegedly pushed for the uranium to be transferred under its own supervision, while Iran later revised its stance amid disagreements.
The United States and Israel have repeatedly expressed concern that Iran’s stockpile of uranium enriched up to 60% could move closer to weapons-grade levels, arguing that any future nuclear agreement must address the material outside Iran.
Iran maintains that its nuclear program is strictly for peaceful purposes, including medical research and energy production, and says transferring enriched uranium abroad would raise national security concerns.
The proposal highlights ongoing international divisions over Iran’s nuclear program, which remains a central issue in Middle East diplomacy.
