Baqaei: No talks on uranium enrichment during Lavrov’s visit to Tehran
Iran and Russia did not discuss uranium enrichment during Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov’s visit to Tehran on Monday, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman said, stressing that Tehran has not backed down from its fundamental positions.
Speaking at his weekly press conference on Tuesday, Esmaeil Baqaei also dismissed speculation that the trip had focused on negotiations between Tehran and Washington.
“No, we have absolutely not deviated from our principled positions, because our positions are in line with Iran’s national interests,” he said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin recently told his Iranian counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian in a phone call that Moscow was ready to help efforts to mediate between Tehran and Washington, with the months-long conflict locked in a stalemate.
Putin also recently offered to transfer enriched uranium from Iran to Russia to help resolve dispute between Iran and the United States.
“We proposed transferring some of the enriched uranium to Russia. This offer remains on the table. I should note that everyone initially agreed,” Putin said at a plenary session of the 23rd meeting of the Valdai International Discussion Club.
“Our offer remains on the table,” he reiterated.
Baqaei said Lavrov’s visit was part of ongoing consultations between the two countries and had been on the agenda for some time.
During the meeting, discussions focused on a range of issues serving the national interests of both countries, he added. Regional matters, including Ukraine and the Persian Gulf, were also naturally discussed, alongside the broader nuclear issue. Russia has consistently said it would do whatever it could to help ease tensions, the spokesman said, adding that Tehran had expressed appreciation for Moscow’s positive and constructive approach to the issue.