Key Points
- Putin revives 2015 nuclear deal precedent
- Iran holds uranium enriched to 60% purity
- Nuclear negotiations remain at a deadlock
- Moscow seeks bigger diplomatic role
- JCPOA model resurfaces in new talks
MOSCOW/WASHINGTON: Russian President Vladimir Putin has renewed a proposal aimed at easing tensions between Iran and the United States by suggesting that Tehran’s enriched uranium stockpile be transferred to Russian custody, reviving a mechanism previously used under the 2015 nuclear accord.
The initiative, which Moscow says remains under active consideration, is being presented by the Kremlin as a possible diplomatic breakthrough in the long-running dispute over Iran’s nuclear programme.
However, the administration of US President Donald Trump has firmly dismissed the idea, insisting that only direct American oversight of Iran’s nuclear material would be acceptable under any future arrangement.
According to media reports quoting Russian officials, Putin initially proposed the transfer mechanism in June 2025 and has repeatedly raised the matter in diplomatic discussions since then, including during talks earlier this year.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov recently confirmed that Moscow still considers the proposal viable and remains willing to facilitate such an arrangement.
Russia argues that it has already demonstrated its capability to manage Iranian nuclear material under the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the landmark agreement between Iran and world powers that imposed restrictions on Tehran’s nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief. Under that deal, Russia took responsibility for handling portions of Iran’s low-enriched uranium stockpile.
Putin has cited that precedent as evidence that Moscow possesses both the technical expertise and the logistical infrastructure required to securely manage enriched uranium. The current situation, however, is considerably more sensitive.
Western officials estimate that Iran now possesses roughly 450 kilogrammes of uranium enriched to 60 per cent purity – a level far beyond civilian requirements and significantly closer to weapons-grade material.
Experts warn that, if further refined, such a stockpile could theoretically provide enough fissile material for more than ten nuclear weapons.
This marks a major distinction from the uranium transferred under the JCPOA framework, which involved material enriched at substantially lower levels and therefore posed a far smaller proliferation risk.
Despite Russia’s efforts to position itself as a mediator, Washington has shown little interest in allowing Moscow to play an intermediary role.
Officials in the Trump administration reportedly view direct US custody over Iran’s uranium reserves as a non-negotiable condition for any future understanding with Tehran.
American policymakers are said to believe that permitting Russia to assume control of the stockpile would weaken US leverage and complicate verification mechanisms.
Iran, meanwhile, has shown no indication that it is prepared to hand over its enriched uranium directly to the United States, leaving negotiations effectively deadlocked.
Diplomatic analysts say the proposal illustrates Moscow’s broader attempt to expand its influence in Middle Eastern diplomacy while portraying itself as an indispensable actor in global security negotiations.
Russia’s involvement could potentially provide Tehran with a face-saving compromise while allowing Washington to claim progress towards containing Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
The issue has also drawn attention in political forecasting and prediction markets, where traders are increasingly speculating about the possibility of a future uranium-transfer agreement.
Market observers noted that expectations for Iran surrendering or transferring its enriched uranium stockpile before the end of 2026 have risen modestly following Putin’s latest remarks.
Some analysts interpret the renewed Russian proposal as a sign that backchannel diplomacy between Tehran, Moscow and Washington may still be ongoing despite public disagreements. Nevertheless, substantial obstacles remain.
Relations between Russia and the United States continue to deteriorate over multiple geopolitical disputes, reducing the likelihood of cooperation on sensitive nuclear matters.
At the same time, Iran remains deeply suspicious of American intentions following Washington’s withdrawal from the JCPOA during Trump’s earlier presidency.
Diplomats and nuclear experts say any workable agreement would require extensive international monitoring, clear verification mechanisms and guarantees from all parties involved – conditions that currently appear difficult to achieve amid escalating regional tensions.
For now, Russia’s proposal remains one of the few publicly discussed diplomatic options on the table, even as Washington continues to reject it outright.
