KABUL: Amid ongoing negotiations between Iran and the United States over a possible agreement, Vladimir Putin has proposed transferring Iran’s enriched uranium out of the country.
Al Jazeera reported on Sunday that Putin made the proposal during a press conference, saying Russia is prepared to remove Iran’s enriched uranium.
The Russian president said Moscow had also transferred enriched uranium from Iran in 2015 and is ready to repeat the process.
“All parties involved in this dispute had agreed to the transfer of uranium from Iran, but then the United States hardened its position and demanded that the uranium be moved only to U.S. territory. As a result, Iran also adopted a tougher stance,” Putin said.
He added that Moscow continues its contacts with both Washington and Tehran and expressed hope that tensions between the two sides would end soon.
Iranian officials have not yet responded to Putin’s proposal.
Iran’s stockpile of uranium enriched to 60 percent purity and proposals to remove it from the country remain one of the key issues complicating efforts to reach an agreement between Tehran and Washington.