Avash News: Alexey Likhachev, the CEO of Rosatom, said that Russia has emphasized Iran’s position in the negotiations that nuclear material should not be taken abroad.
He stated that talks are underway in various formats and that different scenarios regarding the fate of highly enriched uranium are being discussed. Russia has experience in helping Iran in a similar situation 10 years ago, he added, noting that the country is ready to do so again based on its experience.
The informed diplomat said that there are various proposals for transferring highly enriched uranium—particularly uranium enriched up to 60 percent—abroad.
However, he emphasized that keeping nuclear material at any enrichment level inside the country is a key issue for Iran, adding that Tehran has stressed this position in negotiations with the United States.
The diplomat said that Russia has always announced its readiness to transfer Iran’s nuclear material out of the country, but Russians are aware that Iran does not want its nuclear material to be taken abroad.
He added that establishing an enrichment consortium is not currently on the agenda. Iran has no flexibility regarding zero enrichment, he said, emphasizing that enrichment in Iran is possible.
The diplomat said that zero enrichment was canceled in the Geneva talks and that the Americans accepted they must discuss the location, level, and number of centrifuges and reach an agreement.
“Both in the spring negotiations and the Muscat talks, Iran stood firm on keeping its enrichment,” he said.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said in an interview with MSNBC on Friday that Tehran has not proposed a temporary suspension of uranium enrichment, emphasizing that Washington has not requested Tehran to permanently abandon enrichment.
