The BRICS TimesMoscow suggests moving Iran’s nuclear stockpile to break the war’s deadlock as a fragile ceasefire looms.
Russia has repeatedly offered to take Iran’s highly enriched uranium (HEU) since hostilities began last summer. On Friday, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated the offer is not currently being discussed. He noted that while Moscow remains open, Washington shows no interest in the proposal. Meanwhile, Tehran denied discussing any uranium transfer in recent talks with the U.S. This comes despite President Donald Trump saying he would work to recover Iran’s “nuclear dust.” Experts believe Russia could provide a vital compromise due to its technical skills and history with Tehran.
The Details of the Russian Proposal
IAEA data shows Iran holds a massive stockpile of 60% enriched uranium at damaged sites.
The IAEA believes Iran held 440 kilograms of 60% enriched uranium before the June 2025 attacks. This level far exceeds what is needed for civilian power or medical use. The material sits in underground tunnels at Isfahan and Natanz, both hit by recent strikes. Alexei Likhachev, head of Rosatom, said Russia is ready to assist. He called Russia the “only country with positive experience” in cooperating with Iran. The plan involves Russia transporting and storing the stockpile, a task within its expertise.
Challenges of Damaged Nuclear Material
Experts warn that cleaning up and moving uranium from bombed sites could be a historic challenge.
The condition of Iran’s uranium remains unknown because observers haven’t visited sites for ten months. Damage from U.S.-Israeli strikes could make removal very difficult. Andrew Weber of the Council on Strategic Risks called it a potentially “complex uranium removal operation.” He cited security risks and foreign policy tensions as major hurdles. However, Dmitry Gorchakov from Bellona says the problem is not impossible to solve. He suggested that the IAEA and third countries could help verify the amounts destroyed.
Why Russia is the Primary Choice
Long-standing nuclear ties and mutual trust make Moscow the most likely partner for Tehran.
Iran trusts Russia more than it trusts the United States or its allies. Russia also has a history of handling such materials, like the past “Megatons to Megawatts” program. Both nations have worked together since the 1990s on the Bushehr reactor. While China or Europe could technically do the job, Russia is Tehran’s preferred pick. Ultimately, the decision rests with the Trump administration’s true goals for this conflict. Gorchakov questioned what Trump wants now after canceling the original nuclear deal in 2018.
