Tehran denies receiving Russian message saying Putin backs ‘zero uranium enrichment’

The Cradle, July 12, 2025 —

The Russian president reportedly took ‘a tough stance’ in private following the 12-Day War ‘supporting zero enrichment’.

An informed source revealed to Iran’s Tasnim News Agency that Tehran “has not received any message” from Russian President Vladimir Putin regarding a nuclear deal banning uranium enrichment, denying reports that he conveyed such support to US and Israeli officials.

The source said the topic was not raised during Putin’s most recent meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.

According to an Axios report published on 12 July, Moscow briefed the Israeli government on Putin’s position. “We know that this is what Putin told the Iranians,” a senior Israeli official claimed.

The Russian president reportedly relayed this message during recent phone calls with US President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron, urging Tehran to consider a deal centered on “zero enrichment.”

Three European officials and one Israeli official said Moscow has encouraged Tehran to adopt this position to facilitate progress in nuclear negotiations with Washington. 

“Putin would support zero enrichment. He encouraged the Iranians to work towards that in order to make negotiations with the Americans more favorable. The Iranians said they won’t consider it,” one European official said.

According to two sources, the Russians have reiterated this stance on several occasions. 

The Kremlin’s proposal would see Iran hand over its stockpile of highly enriched uranium to Russia, in exchange for low-enriched uranium for civilian use and limited quantities of 20 percent enriched uranium for the Tehran research reactor and isotope production.

Despite Moscow’s public support for Iran’s nuclear rights, officials familiar with the matter say Putin privately adopted a tougher position following the 12-day war between Israel and Iran.

Moscow offered to mediate between Tel Aviv and Tehran following the ceasefire and held undisclosed high-level talks with Israeli officials on Iran and Syria.

Meanwhile, China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi, during talks with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov, reaffirmed joint opposition to militarization in the region and said diplomacy, not military pressure, is the path forward. 

Both pledged to push for a diplomatic resolution to the Iran nuclear file.

Trump has insisted that any future deal must include “zero enrichment on Iranian soil.”