This initiative was discussed during a phone call between Putin and Trump on March 9 at the initiative of the American president.
During the conversation, Putin suggested various measures that could help end the conflict between the US and Israel with Iran. The transportation of Iranian uranium to Russia was just one of the proposed ideas. Considering that uranium enriched to 60% can be brought to a level suitable for creating nuclear weapons (90%) within a few weeks, the 450 kilograms of this substance in Iran could be used to produce more than 10 nuclear warheads.
According to one American official, "this proposal is not new and was not accepted. We must ensure the safe storage of uranium." It is noted that Russia had previously put forward a similar initiative during negotiations between the US and Iran in May 2025, shortly before the US and Israel attacked Iranian nuclear facilities in June, and a few weeks before the start of the conflict in the Middle East on February 28, 2026. Trump, as reported by Axios, is also discussing this situation with Chinese leader Xi Jinping and European leaders.
Earlier, Donald Trump referred to Iran as an "empire of evil," emphasizing that his main goal is to prevent Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons and "destroying the Middle East."
