The acknowledgment came in a brief statement from an Iranian government spokesperson. “We are evaluating the Russian offer regarding the transportation of enriched uranium,” the spokesperson said, without providing further details on timing or conditions. The remark marks the first public confirmation from Tehran that the proposal is under active review, though officials stopped short of signaling a decision.
Russian President Vladimir Putin revived the idea on May 9 during a press conference in Moscow. He said Russia had successfully removed enriched uranium from Iran under the 2015 nuclear agreement and was prepared to “repeat this experience” if all parties agree. Putin also asserted that Iran, the United States, and Israel had previously consented to the transfer, but the arrangement unraveled when Washington insisted the uranium be sent to American territory instead.
The Russian proposal has drawn a mixed response from Washington. U.S. President Donald Trump said in late April that he received a Russian offer related to Iran’s enriched uranium but rejected it. Trump stated that Russia should instead concentrate on ending the war in Ukraine. No further details of the exchange have been disclosed by either side.
Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium remains at the center of international concern. According to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Iran held roughly 440.9 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60 percent purity as of early 2026. That level is a short technical step from the 90 percent threshold considered weapons-grade. Iran is the only non-nuclear-weapon state known to produce uranium at that level.
Much of that material is believed to be stored at the Isfahan nuclear complex, which was struck repeatedly during U.S.-led military operations in 2025. IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi has said the agency has been unable to physically inspect the site since the conflict and cannot independently verify the status of the stockpile. Satellite imagery remains the only source of information, he said.
The idea of Russia holding Iranian enriched uranium is not new. Under the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), Iran shipped roughly 8.5 tons of low-enriched uranium to Russia in exchange for about 140 tons of natural uranium. The deal collapsed in 2018 when the United States withdrew unilaterally under the first Trump administration, reimposing sweeping sanctions.
Since then, Iran has steadily increased its enrichment levels and reduced cooperation with international inspectors. Diplomatic contacts have resumed intermittently. In February 2026, Iranian representatives indicated during talks in Oman that they could consider sending highly enriched uranium abroad, possibly to Russia, and might suspend enrichment for up to three years, according to The Wall Street Journal. No binding agreement followed.
Russia has offered several possible arrangements beyond simple storage. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in April that Moscow could reprocess highly enriched uranium into fuel-grade material or temporarily hold part of Iran’s stockpile, provided any plan respects Iran’s right to peaceful nuclear energy.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry said in mid-April that discussions on the nuclear file were ongoing but that the uranium transfer idea had not reached a decision stage. A spokesman pointed to what he described as past breaches of commitments by the United States as a reason for caution.
The broader diplomatic picture remains unsettled. European Union officials have pressed for any future deal to cover Iran’s ballistic missile program as well as nuclear limits. The IAEA, meanwhile, continues to push for the restoration of full inspector access to Iranian facilities, warning that without on-the-ground verification the status of nuclear materials cannot be confirmed.