Russia: United States rejected our proposal to take over Iran's uranium stockpile

(Patria) - Kremlin spokesman said on Wednesday that the United States had rejected their proposal for Russia to remove all of Iran's enriched uranium from the country as a way to help resolve the conflict in the Middle East, Reuters reported.

Russia first proposed taking control of Iran's uranium stockpile last June, but no action was taken.

According to reports, Russia reissued the proposal this week.

„Russia was ready to accept Iran's enriched uranium on its territory,“ the state news agency RIA reported that Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Indian television channel India Today.

„This would have been a good decision. But unfortunately, the American side rejected this proposal.“

U.S. reports cite sources saying that the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump rejected the proposal.

Iran said any decision would depend on whether it can reach an agreement with the U.S., including on its nuclear program.

The United States cited Iran's stockpile of enriched uranium and the possibility that it could secure nuclear weapons as the reason for its attacks on Iran.

Russia's deputy foreign minister hinted last year that Russia was ready to remove the stockpile from Iran and convert it into fuel for civilian reactors to facilitate negotiations.