Iran’s Tasnim News, which is close to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, has denied a report that Russia has accepted a proposal under which Iran would not enrich uranium. The denial comes as Iran’s foreign ministry has also said that trust in the US has dropped “below zero.”
According to a report in Axios on July 12, “Russian President Vladimir Putin has told both President [Donald] Trump and Iranian officials that he supports the idea of a nuclear deal in which Iran is unable to enrich uranium, sources familiar with those discussions tell Axios.” The report noted that “Russia has been Iran’s main diplomatic backer on the nuclear issue for years. But while Moscow publicly advocates for Iran’s right to enrich, Putin has taken a tougher position in private in the wake of the 12-day war between Israel and Iran.”
However, two hours after the Axios report, Tasnim News headlined its website with a denial. Citing an “informed source,” it said the claims surrounding Putin’s messaging about accepting “zero enrichment” were false. The Iranian media said that “Zionist media” had spread this claim and that “Tehran has not received such a message from Putin in any way.”
Tasnim went on to say, “Putin’s last meeting with Iranian officials was with [Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas] Araghchi, and such an issue was not raised in that meeting. After that, no messages about zero enrichment were exchanged through communication channels between Russia and Tehran.”
Clearly Iran’s state media and the IRGC are concerned about these reports, as they don’t want to believe that Russia is weakening Iran’s position. Iran has appeared to flip-flop on whether it will rekindle talks with the US.
Both countries were in talks when Israel began airstrikes on Iran on June 12. Twelve days later, US President Donald Trump secured a ceasefire after joining the strikes.
Then Trump hosted Israel’s prime minister in Washington. Recent reports have suggested that Israel could carry out strikes again if Iran continues its move towards a nuclear weapon.
Meanwhile, Iran’s Foreign Ministry has slammed the US. “According to the Foreign Policy Group of the Tasnim News Agency, Esmaeil Baghaei, spokesman for the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, announced that the illegal attack against the Islamic Republic of Iran in the middle of the diplomatic process was scandalous and that the enemy could not resist the logic of dialogue and engagement, saying: ‘Today, it is clear to everyone that the Islamic Republic is a proponent of dialogue and diplomacy,’” Tasnim reported on July 12.
The reports have been receiving a spotlight in the region. Al-Arabiya also reported on the Iranian denials, noting that Russia is willing to aid in bringing the US and Iran together in some kind of discussion, but Lavrov cautioned this was not about mediation.
The White House has been increasingly critical of Russia in the last week. Russia’s foreign minister, according to Al-Arabiya, has also said that Russia possesses the technological capabilities to deplete uranium and is prepared to offer its services to Iran.
“President Putin noted that when agreeing on the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) on the Iranian nuclear program, Russia’s capabilities to provide services related to the depletion of uranium accumulated in Iran prior to the adoption of this document were taken into account, with the depletion of uranium to the level necessary for energy purposes, for use in nuclear power plants,” Lavrov said.
Lavrov added, “Since Iran has not made any commitment to limit its enrichment in the years following the unilateral US withdrawal from the JCPOA, and this is now being discussed, we have indicated that we possess such technological capabilities and are ready to provide them, transferring excess highly enriched uranium to Russia for processing and returning the energy-enriched uranium to Iran for a nuclear power plant.”