Russia taking highly enriched uranium from Iran under discussion

The head of the U.N.’s nuclear agency said on Tuesday that Russia remains open to removing highly enriched uranium, a critical component of nuclear weapon development, from Iran.

Rafael Grossi stressed the importance of ensuring Iran loses this supply or that its enrichment is diluted during an interview with The Associated Press.

Grossi leads the U.N.’s International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which seeks to prevent the military use of nuclear weapons. The nuclear chief told AP last year that Iran’s stockpile could allow it to build up to 10 nuclear bombs.

President Trump has cited Iran’s nuclear capabilities as one of his main reasons for starting a war against the country, which has now stretched for over 60 days.

On Wednesday, Trump said Russian President Vladimir Putin offered to help with “enrichment” during a phone call between the two leaders, presumably in reference to this proposed enriched uranium removal process.

“He told me he’d like to be involved with the enrichment — if he can help us get it. I said, ‘I’d much rather have you be involved with ending the war with Ukraine.’ To me, that would be more important,” Trump said, referring to the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine.

The U.S. and Israel launched joint military strikes on Iran at the end of February, amid stalling nuclear deal negotiations. The two countries had previously attacked Iran’s nuclear sites last June, including the Isfahan complex, the country’s largest atomic research center.

Grossi told AP on Tuesday that the IAEA has obtained satellite images of Isfahan, which show the outcome of these strikes.

While the nuclear chief said this information-gathering process is still ongoing, he said the agency believes a large amount of the country’s enriched uranium supply remains stored at the nuclear facility.

“We haven’t been able to inspect or to reject that the material is there and that the seals — the IAEA seals — remain there,” he said. “I hope we’ll be able to do that, so what I tell you is our best estimate.”

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