Trump rejects Putin’s deal proposal to shift Iran’s uranium to Russia, attempt to end war fails – report

Russian President Vladimir Putin has proposed transferring Iran’s enriched uranium to Russia as part of a possible deal to end the war in the Middle East, a move that US President Donald Trump has rejected. According to a report, the proposal was discussed during a phone call this week between the two leaders, which was part of efforts to end the US-Iran conflict.

About 450 kilograms of Iran’s uranium, enriched up to 60 percent, can be converted into weapons-grade uranium, enough to make more than ten nuclear bombs. Securing or neutralizing this uranium stockpile is a major objective for both the United States and Israel.

Putin’s proposal and Trump’s rejection

During a phone conversation with Trump, Putin had suggested transferring Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile to Russia, which Trump rejected. According to reports, Russia was considered a potential destination for uranium as it is one of the few countries with nuclear weapons that has the technical capacity to safely store such material.

Russia’s technological potential

Russia previously stored Iran’s low-enriched uranium under the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. According to reports, this proposal was not entirely new, and Russia had raised similar ideas during US-Iran nuclear talks in May and in the weeks before the current conflict began.

Iran’s nuclear program

There are serious concerns over Iran’s nuclear program, and according to reports, Tehran is reaching uranium enrichment levels of more than 60 percent. This enrichment level could be used to develop nuclear weapons and long-range missiles that could even reach Europe.