Russian Media: Putin Proposes Russia Store Iran's Enriched Uranium During China Summit

Russian President Vladimir Putin visited China recently. According to Russian media reports, during his visit, Putin discussed the US-Iran conflict with Chinese President Xi Jinping and proposed that Russia take custody of Iran's enriched uranium. At the invitation of Xi, Putin paid a state visit to China from the 19th to the 20th, during which the two leaders held talks and a tea session. Sputnik reported today that Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated on the 21st that Putin and Xi discussed the situation in Iran during their meeting, "especially during the tea session." Peskov revealed that Putin presented the idea of Russia storing Iran's enriched uranium to Xi. Regarding Xi's response, Peskov said the two leaders "held a closed-door meeting for this purpose." Negotiations between the US and Iran remain deadlocked. Reports indicate that both sides remain at odds over issues such as Iran's uranium stockpiles. Washington believes this uranium will be used to build nuclear weapons, while Iran insists it is for peaceful purposes. US President Donald Trump stated on the 21st that the US would eventually obtain Iran's highly enriched uranium stockpile. However, prior to Trump's comments, two senior Iranian sources told Reuters that Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, had ordered that enriched uranium must not be transported abroad.