Russia renews proposal to mediate Iran-US talks

A senior Russian diplomat has renewed Moscow’s proposal to serve as the mediator in indirect talks involving Iran and the United States, which have held five rounds of such diplomatic process with Omani mediation since April.

Speaking to Russia’s Izvestia newspaper on Friday, the country’s Permanent Representative to the International Organizations in Vienna, Mikhail Ulyanov, reaffirmed the Kremlin’s readiness to assist both Tehran and Washington in resolving their outstanding differences.

“The Russian Federation has repeatedly stated its readiness to assist Iran and the United States in reaching an agreement on nuclear issues,” the official said.

‘No request from either Tehran or Washington so far’

“But for this to happen, both Tehran and Washington need to make such a request. So far, there has been no such request,” the Russian official said.

Russia has, on several occasions, positioned itself as a potential intermediary in the process.

On March 4, 2025, Moscow offered to mediate between the two sides, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirming President Vladimir Putin’s support for the effort.

Further reinforcing this stance, the Kremlin stated on April 7 that Russia was prepared to do all it could to de-escalate tensions.

The proposals came amid heightened rhetoric from American officials, who have repeatedly threatened military action against Iran’s nuclear sites.

Putin again raised the issue during a conversation with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on May 6, reiterating Russia’s readiness to help facilitate a “fair agreement” between Tehran and Washington.

Iran stands firm on enrichment rights

Despite the US’s threats of military aggression and insistence on multiple occasions on the Islamic Republic’s reducing its uranium enrichment levels to “zero,” Tehran has firmly rejected reports suggesting it might consider an interim deal with Washington that would include suspending uranium enrichment.

Earlier this month, Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei called such reports “baseless fabrications” and affirmed that enrichment activities would continue irrespective of any agreement.

Iran vows uranium enrichment ‘uncompromisable’; again spurns reports of ‘interim deal’ with US

Iran reiterates the non-negotiable nature of continued enrichment activities on its soil, while repeating rejection of reports about an “interim deal” with the US.

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has also repeatedly stated that uranium enrichment was a sovereign right and would not be compromised under any diplomatic arrangement.

Since the talks began in April 2025, Tehran has maintained that recognition of its nuclear rights and the lifting of the US’s illegal and unilateral sanctions were non-negotiable matters.

Trilateral Iran-Russia-China talks continue

Ulyanov also noted that the situation surrounding Iran’s peaceful nuclear energy program continued to evolve, highlighting the potential need for further trilateral consultations among Russia, China, and Iran.

Moscow and Beijing are parties to a 2015 nuclear agreement between Tehran and others that was ditched by Washington in 2018.

“The situation around the Iranian nuclear program is developing dynamically, and this may well require another round of consultations among Russia, China, and Iran on this issue at the level of deputy heads of the foreign ministries,” the Russian envoy stated.

While no specific date has been set for such talks, Ulyanov emphasized that the trilateral format remained active.

“Literally, today, another ‘comparison of notes’ at the level of Permanent Representatives of the three countries to the International Organizations was held in Vienna,” he said.

Ulyanov also stressed the importance of aligning positions among the three allies ahead of the upcoming session of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)’s Board of Governors, which has been scheduled to open on June 9.

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