Summary: Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Monday that Russia has repeatedly offered to either process or store Iran’s enriched uranium for 'quite a long time.' He said the issue has long been on the agenda in discussions with Tehran and other parties, and that Moscow remains in contact with interested actors as it seeks to reduce tensions related to Iran.
Peskov was asked whether Russia had discussed with both Iran and the United States the possibility of taking custody of Iranian enriched uranium. In response he confirmed that 'this topic has been on the agenda for a long time.'
He elaborated that '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,' framing the offer as a potential means to address points of dispute among concerned states.
The Kremlin spokesman emphasized that Moscow is actively maintaining contacts across the relevant parties. 'Right now, Russia is continuing its efforts, continuing its contacts with all interested parties, and maintains its readiness to de-escalate tensions around Iran to the best of its ability,' he said.
Those remarks underscore that Moscow presents itself as a potential intermediary on the technical matter of handling enriched uranium and on the diplomatic front by keeping lines of communication open. Peskov’s statements did not provide additional operational details about how any processing or storage arrangement would function, or a timeline for any such action.
Russia’s restatement of the offer and of its ongoing diplomatic contacts indicates the item remains part of Moscow’s foreign-policy considerations vis-a-vis Iran and parties concerned about Iran’s nuclear materials. The Kremlin’s comments focused on readiness to engage and to try to reduce tensions, rather than on concrete steps or commitments.
Contact and next steps: According to Peskov’s comments, Russia will continue its outreach to the interested parties, keeping the discussions about potential handling of enriched uranium active while expressing an intention to help de-escalate related tensions.