Russia rejects Israeli pressure regarding Iran nuclear file: Exclusive
3 Min Read
A Russian source told Al Mayadeen that Moscow is not engaged in negotiations with "Israel" over Iran’s nuclear program, despite pressure to do so.
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Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, greets Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi prior to their talks at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, on June 23, 2025. (Alexander Kazakov, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
An informed Russian source told Al Mayadeen that "Israel" has occasionally urged Moscow to pressure Tehran to abandon its nuclear program. However, the source emphasized that the Russian leadership is not engaged in any negotiations with Tel Aviv on the matter.
Meanwhile, Russia has vehemently denied an Axios report alleging that it proposed a “zero enrichment” nuclear deal to Iran, one that would require Tehran to halt uranium enrichment on its soil.
In an official statement issued on Sunday, the Russian Foreign Ministry labeled the report as "disinformation", describing it as "dirty work" by Western media designed to manipulate public opinion. The ministry accused US-aligned outlets of acting as instruments for political elites and intelligence agencies.
What's in the Axios article?
The Axios article cited unnamed European and Israeli officials claiming that Russian President Vladimir Putin encouraged Iranian leadership to accept a zero enrichment proposal in coordination with Washington. The report further alleged that Putin shared this stance with US President Donald Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron, and the Israeli government.
According to Axios, Russia had offered to extract Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium as part of the deal, while supplying low-enriched material for peaceful energy and medical use. These claims, Moscow insists, are false and politically motivated.
Axios sources suggested that Russia’s alleged shift came in the aftermath of "Israel's" war on Iran, as Moscow seeks to position itself as a key broker in future talks. The Russian Foreign Ministry, however, rejected that narrative and reaffirmed its official support for Iran’s peaceful nuclear development.
Iran's stance remains unchanged
Tehran has repeatedly stated that uranium enrichment is a sovereign right under the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), and Iranian officials have long rejected any deal that would strip the country of its domestic enrichment capacity.
Accordingly, diplomatic sources told Al Mayadeen on Sunday that Iran remains firmly committed to enriching uranium on its soil and believes Russia continues to support that stance. The sources denied reports that Tehran had received any proposal from Moscow to end domestic enrichment, stressing that Russia’s position on Iran’s right to peaceful nuclear activity has not changed.
They clarified that before the recent Israeli aggression, Russia had supported a proposal, within the context of US-Iran nuclear talks, that involved transferring uranium enriched beyond 3.67% from Iran to Russia as part of efforts to reach an agreement at the time.
