Putin offers to take Iranian uranium again, says no evidence of Tehran 'striving for nuclear weapons'

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday (May 9) backed Iran while calling its war with US a “difficult one.” Putin said that there is no evidence of Iran seeking to develop nuclear weapons. He once again offered to help the US in handling Iranian uranium and highlighted that it would be overseen by the United Nations' nuclear watchdog, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Putin highlighted Russia's past cooperation in 2015 and emphasised that ongoing projects, including the Bushehr nuclear plant in Iran, remain focused on peaceful energy purposes.

Speaking to the media after the Victory Day Parade in Moscow, Putin said, "As for Iran and the United States, it's a very difficult conflict. It puts us in a difficult position because we have good relations with Iran and with the Persian Gulf nations. We maintain contact with both sides. I hope that this conflict will be brought to an end as soon as possible. I believe no one is interested in keeping it going," Putin said, adding that compromises remain possible.

Speaking on Iran's alleged ambition to acquire a nuclear weapon, “If everybody agrees to it, Iran can be fully confident that it will export these materials to a friendly country that has cooperated and will continue to cooperate on the peaceful atom, and it doesn't strive to weaponise it. We have never once said that there is any evidence about Iran's striving for nuclear weapons.”

Putin also recalled previous initiatives to manage Iran's uranium program, including proposals to process uranium in joint ventures under international supervision. “Our offers are still on the table. First, we could see how much uranium there is. Second, it would all be under the control of the IAEA. And third, the work would be organised under the supervision of the IAEA. We just want to make a possible contribution.”

Iran's nuclear programme has always remained a central issue in ongoing diplomatic tensions between Washington and Tehran as part of the negotiations in order to achieve a complete solution to the hostilities in West Asia. The US has turned down Russia's offer to take Iranian uranium.

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Why Russia wants Iran's uranium?

Russia's primary motivation to take Iran's uranium can be a way to project itself as a central mediator in the nuclear standoff between Tehran and the US. It becomes interesting as Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi arrived travelled to Russia, for high-level meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Since Tehran trusts Moscow more than Washington, Russia offers a secure location for the stockpile that satisfies Iranians as well as establishing a moral hegemony on the demands by the US.

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Russia has proposed converting the highly enriched material into fuel for civilian nuclear reactors, potentially benefiting its own state nuclear corporation, Rosatom. But low-enriched uranium is commonly used for civilian nuclear reactors. Highly enriched uranium can potentially be used in nuclear weapons. According to US, Iran has roughly 450 kilograms enriched to 60 percent purity, around 1,000 kilograms enriched to 20 percent and about 8,500 kilograms enriched to 3.6 percent. The 60 percent stockpile is sensitive because it is considered only a short technical step from weapons-grade enrichment of about 90 percent. That makes Iran’s uranium special. Some analysts have also pointed out that the enriched uranium in Russia's custody gives them an edge in the hegemonic war with the West and a strategic leverage in the world plagued by wars.