Iran Signals Readiness to Transfer Enriched Uranium to Russia

JAKARTA - The Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council of Iran, Ali Larijani, said Tehran might be willing to transfer enriched uranium to Russia.

Previously, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia had proposed moving excess enriched uranium from Iran as one option to ease concerns about Iran's nuclear program.

Larijani conveyed a message from Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to Russian President Vladimir Putin that Iran could agree to transfer enriched uranium to Russia, The New York Times wrote.

Iran is also reportedly ready to reduce or suspend its nuclear program as a concession to the United States, but prefers the formation of a regional consortium for the production of nuclear energy.

On January 30, Larijani visited Moscow and met with Putin to discuss expanding bilateral relations and issues related to the Middle East.

In January, US President Donald Trump said a "big armada" was heading to Iran.

Trump said he hoped Tehran would be willing to negotiate and sign a "fair and balanced" deal that included a total renunciation of nuclear weapons.

The US president warned that if an agreement is not reached on Iran's nuclear program, any future US attack on the country would be "much worse" than previous attacks.