MOSCOW — The United States has shown no interest in Russia’s proposal to receive and store Iran’s enriched uranium on Russian territory, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed to reporters on Thursday, even as Moscow reiterated its full readiness to serve as a custodian for the material in a bid to ease mounting nuclear tensions surrounding Tehran.
“This proposal is not currently at the negotiation stage. The Russian side remains open to it, and President Putin has reiterated this on multiple occasions,” Peskov stated, before adding bluntly: “Now this proposal is not in demand from the United States.”
The remarks follow a statement made on Wednesday by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who declared that Moscow stands prepared to play a constructive role in resolving the question of Iran’s enriched uranium stockpiles in a manner that would be fully acceptable to Tehran. Russia’s offer, which would see Iranian enriched uranium transferred to Russian soil under internationally verifiable conditions, has been presented as a diplomatic off-ramp capable of defusing one of the most volatile proliferation disputes of the current era. Washington’s apparent disinterest in the proposal raises fresh questions about the sincerity of American engagement in ongoing nuclear negotiations with Iran.
On the conflict in Ukraine, Peskov warned that the direct involvement of several European nations in the war is deepening. His comments came in response to the Russian Defence Ministry’s publication on 15 April of the locations of Ukrainian and jointly operated enterprises engaged in drone manufacturing and component supply across Europe. “The direct involvement of these countries in the conflict, in the war around Ukraine, is growing,” Peskov said.
Turning to the Middle East, the Kremlin welcomed a 10-day ceasefire between Israel and the Lebanese Hezbollah movement that came into force on 17 April, following confirmation from both parties the previous evening. “We hope that during these days, which have been outlined, it will indeed be possible to reach agreements that will avoid a repeat of military clashes in the future,” Peskov told journalists, expressing Moscow’s hope that the pause in hostilities would translate into a durable political settlement.
On the subject of bilateral relations with Beijing, Peskov indicated that the dates of President Vladimir Putin’s forthcoming state visit to China would be announced jointly and simultaneously by both capitals. “We, in sync with our friends from Beijing, will announce the dates of this visit in a timely manner,” he said, offering no further details.
Moscow’s posture across all four dossiers — Iran’s nuclear programme, the Ukraine conflict, the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire, and Sino-Russian strategic coordination — underscores the Kremlin’s sustained effort to position Russia as an indispensable actor in global diplomacy at a moment when Washington’s multilateral credibility faces increasing scrutiny from the Global South and beyond.
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