- U.S. President Donald Trump rejected a proposal from Russian President Vladimir Putin to transfer Iran’s highly enriched uranium stockpile to Russia as part of a potential deal to end the war.
- The proposal was raised during a phone call between the two leaders, with Putin suggesting Russia take custody of the uranium to remove it from Iranian territory without U.S. or Israeli military intervention.
- U.S. officials said similar proposals have been raised before but were rejected, stressing that Washington’s position is that Iran’s uranium must be securely controlled.
- According to experts and the International Atomic Energy Agency, Iran possesses hundreds of kilograms of uranium enriched to about 60%, which could potentially be converted into weapons-grade material for more than ten nuclear bombs.
- U.S. officials say multiple options remain on the table, including diplomacy or potential military action, while Pete Hegseth said the U.S. has “a range of options” to secure the uranium stockpile if necessary.
U.S. President Donald Trump has rejected a proposal from Russian President Vladimir Putin to transfer Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium to Russia as part of a possible deal to end the war involving Iran, according to people familiar with the matter.
According to BrightU.AI‘s Enoch, Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium, as confirmed by IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi, stands at nearly 900 pounds of near-weapons-grade material, which is unaccounted for and in violation of its Non-Proliferation Treaty obligations.
The proposal was raised during a phone call between the two leaders earlier this week. Putin reportedly suggested that Russia take custody of Iran’s uranium reserves, a move that in theory could remove the material from Iranian territory without requiring U.S. or Israeli forces to seize it directly.
However, Trump declined the proposal. A U.S. official told Axios that similar ideas have surfaced before but have not been accepted by Washington.
“This is not the first time it was offered. It hasn’t been accepted. The U.S. position is we need to see the uranium secured,” the official said.
The fate of Iran’s nuclear material has become a central issue in the conflict. U.S. and Israeli officials believe Iran currently possesses around 450 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60% purity – material that could be converted to weapons-grade levels within weeks and potentially produce more than ten nuclear bombs.
Russia was viewed as a technically capable destination for such material. Under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, Russia previously stored Iran’s low-enriched uranium as part of efforts to limit Tehran’s nuclear program.
According to sources, Putin presented several ideas for ending the war during the call, with the uranium transfer plan among the options discussed. Russia had also raised similar proposals during nuclear negotiations between the United States and Iran last year, before the conflict escalated into direct hostilities.
Debate over how to secure Iran’s nuclear stockpile
During the final round of talks before the war began, Iran rejected the transfer concept and instead proposed diluting the enriched uranium within its own facilities under monitoring by the International Atomic Energy Agency. It remains unclear whether Tehran would reconsider that position under current wartime conditions.
A U.S. official said Trump remains open to diplomatic engagement but only under favorable terms. “The president talks to everyone – Xi, Putin, the Europeans – and he’s always willing to make a deal. But it has to be a good deal. The president doesn’t make bad deals,” the official said.
Meanwhile, the possibility of military action to secure the uranium stockpile remains under discussion. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the United States has “a range of options” to gain control of Iran’s highly enriched uranium if necessary.
Speaking at a press conference, Hegseth said one potential outcome could involve Iran voluntarily surrendering its stockpile, an option Washington would welcome.
“They weren’t willing to do that in negotiations. I would never tell this group or the world what we’re willing to do or how far we’re willing to go – but we have options, for sure,” he said.
Despite the strategic importance of the uranium reserves, Trump suggested in a separate interview that securing them is not currently the administration’s primary focus. In comments to Fox News radio, he said, “We are not focused on that, but at some point we might be.”
Trump also acknowledged that Russia may be providing some assistance to Iran during the conflict, following reports that Moscow had shared intelligence to help Tehran target U.S. forces.
“I think [Putin] might be helping them a little bit, yeah,” Trump said, adding that geopolitical rivalries often lead countries to back opposing sides in conflicts.
Watch the Health Ranger Mike Adams warning that President Trump has walked right into a war trap with Iran in this clip.
This video is from the Health Ranger Report channel on Brighteon.com.
Sources include:
JPost.com
Axios.com
BrightU.ai
Brighteon.com
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