- Статьи
- World
- Isotope signal: Russia has not received a response to the proposal to export Iranian uranium
Isotope signal: Russia has not received a response to the proposal to export Iranian uranium
The Russian side has not yet received a response regarding the export of enriched uranium from Iran, Alexey Likhachev, head of Rosatom, told Izvestia. According to him, the Russian Federation has brought its point of view to the interested parties. But Tehran is not ready to discuss this topic right now. So far, the main issue on the agenda is the end of the conflict with the United States, said Ali Bagheri—Kani, Deputy Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council. And although, according to media reports, the parties have almost reached an agreement on a 60-day cease-fire and the launch of negotiations on the nuclear program, the United States and Iran continue to exchange blows. Whether there are any chances for an early resolution of the crisis is in the Izvestia article.
US attacks and Iran's retaliatory actions
Washington and Tehran are actively engaged in indirect negotiations amid the ongoing armed conflict. One of the most pressing problems remains the export of enriched uranium outside Iran. In Tehran, however, they emphasize that the Islamic Republic does not discuss this issue, the main thing now is to end the conflict with the Americans.
— I can say that so far the issue on the agenda is the end of the war. We are not discussing any issues regarding other topics, including the export of material," Ali Bagheri—Kani, Deputy secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, told Izvestia. — We started negotiating a long time ago. Their outcome depends on the serious will and responsibility of the Americans.
Russia has repeatedly stated that it is still ready to export highly enriched uranium from Iran. Russia provided such assistance in 2015, when the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), known as the "nuclear deal," was concluded. However, the United States is now categorically opposed to exporting uranium to Russia or China. Donald Trump believes that the material should be destroyed or "immediately" transferred to the United States for removal and disposal.
In April, Alexey Likhachev, the head of the Rosatom state corporation, said that the company was ready to export enriched uranium, stressing that the issue remained a key one in the negotiations between the United States and Russia. However, the interested parties did not respond to the Russian proposal, Likhachev told Izvestia.
"We've brought our point of view to them, but there's no response," he said.
At the same time, the situation remains tense. On the night of May 28, the United States again attacked Iranian military installations, which allegedly posed a threat to American troops and maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz. According to Axios, the target of the American strikes was an Iranian UAV launcher and four kamikaze drones fired at a US Navy ship and a merchant vessel.
In response, Iran attacked a facility in Kuwait, which was presented in Tehran as a warning to Washington about the consequences of further pressure. Representatives of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) noted that this base had hit Iranian targets several hours earlier. They warned that if pressure from the United States continues, Iran's response will become "tougher and more widespread."
The ongoing fighting poses a threat not only to the local civilian population, but also to foreigners. For example, Rosatom canceled the return of Russian specialists to the Bushehr NPP, including due to risks for employees.
— Despite the announcement of a ceasefire, the parties still periodically exchange blows. They emphasize that this is not a violation of the regime, but such strikes exist. In these conditions, we cannot risk people," Alexey Likhachev told Izvestia.
The United States is increasing pressure on Iran
The new strikes did not change the status of the truce, which has been formally in effect since mid-April. The first attacks were on May 25, when representatives of the United States and Iran arrived for indirect talks in Qatar. The approaches of the United States and Iran to the possible negotiation process and the parameters of the future agreement remain fundamentally different.
Trump's statements that Washington does not intend to ease the sanctions regime in exchange for Iran's abandonment of enriched uranium actually confirm the continuation of a tough line against Tehran.
Program Manager of the Russian Council on International Affairs (RIAC) Ivan Bocharov notes that Iran has largely adapted to living under sanctions and continues to develop economically, but its pace remains significantly lower than potentially possible.
"The lifting of sanctions is of fundamental importance to the Iranian leadership, and Tehran is unlikely to consider the situation as normalized until the restrictions are completely lifted," the expert told Izvestia.
However, on May 28, Axios reported that the United States and Iran had reached an agreement on a 60-day memorandum of understanding, which provides for the extension of the ceasefire and the launch of negotiations on the Iranian nuclear program. However, the final approval of the document by President Donald Trump has not yet been received.
According to Axios, the parties have already agreed on most of the terms of the memorandum. Among them are ensuring free navigation through the Strait of Hormuz without duties and harassment, as well as Iran's commitment to remove naval mines from the strait's waters within 30 days.
The agreement should also pave the way for broader negotiations on Tehran's nuclear program and a potential easing of sanctions against it. At the same time, a number of details remain a matter of dispute, and Washington recognizes that the deal may still fall through.
At the same time, the United States continues to put pressure on Iran. So, according to the statement of the head of the Ministry of Finance Scott Bessent, the United States is going to close the access of Iranian airlines to airports, aircraft refueling and ticket sales systems. In turn, Tehran demanded that Washington unfreeze foreign Iranian assets. The Deputy Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council also stressed that unblocking assets is "the legitimate right of the Iranian people."
Difficulties of the diplomatic process
In fact, the key obstacle to concluding an agreement remains the incompatibility of the positions of the parties. The United States insists on maintaining the sanctions regime and additional restrictions, while Iran demands their mitigation.
Hadi Issa Dalul, an expert on international relations, noted that the likelihood of a direct military clash is limited, and Washington will avoid full-scale involvement in the conflict. At the same time, there is a risk of its expansion at the expense of regional actors. Yemen could potentially be involved, which poses an additional danger to the rest of the region.
— If Trump participates, American investments in the region will become potential targets, military bases will also be under attack, as well as all existing facilities, including fiber-optic lines, which may be damaged. Therefore, I do not think that America is capable of entering into such a risky game and putting everything it owns at risk of attacks. And I repeat again: the biggest problem is if Yemen enters this battle. Therefore, we expect America to try to limit the conflict only to Tel Aviv and Iran," he told Izvestia.
Nikolai Sukhov, a leading researcher at IMEMO RAS, stressed that the United States is under strong pressure from Israel, whose government does not accept the current state of affairs and is solely aimed at the complete defeat of the Iranian regime. According to the expert, the further dynamics of the conflict between the United States and Iran are significantly influenced by domestic political factors in the United States, primarily congressional elections, which increase Washington's caution.
— I do not expect that by the end of the year, until November, before the congressional elections, there will be something as full-scale as it was in March, — said the expert.
He also added that the military conflict between Iran and the United States from the very beginning went beyond the bilateral, affecting not only the military sphere, but also gradually spreading to the economy, which has already led to global consequences. The oil crisis has had a significant impact on the countries of Southeast, East and South Asia, including India, increasing pressure on energy markets and logistics chains.
The escalation of the conflict between the United States and Iran may again affect the entire global economy. In these circumstances, Russia urges the United States and Iran not to descend into armed confrontation.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
