Russian President Vladimir Putin has urged Iranian officials to accept a nuclear agreement that would ban uranium enrichment, a key US demand in any future talks, Axios reported Saturday citing multiple sources.
Images taken on July 9 show that all three tunnel entrances at the Isfahan Nuclear Complex remain blocked by earthen backfill and bomb damage, according to David Albright, the institute’s president, and other researchers.
“To access these stocks, the Iranians would have to dig through and clear about 20 meters of rubble or backfill,” the team wrote. “The July 9 image shows no earth moving equipment or other heavy machinery present at any tunnel entrance.”
The tunnels are suspected of housing parts of Iran’s remaining enriched uranium stockpile, but analysts said that any effort to access them would be highly visible to overhead surveillance and could trigger further US or Israeli strikes.
In addition, satellite imagery of the main Isfahan complex — which includes the destroyed uranium conversion and metal production facilities — shows no activity. According to the institute, Iran would likely need to conduct drone or HAZMAT surveys before removing rubble or beginning any rebuilding.
“This is a lengthy and complicated process,” the group said. “Iran may also be holding off on any such activities as they are easily spotted via overhead imagery.”
Israel says Iran did not move 60% enriched uranium before strikes
A senior Israeli official told Reuters this week that Iran did not relocate its 60% enriched uranium stockpile before last month’s US airstrikes on its nuclear facilities at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. The material — estimated at around 400 kilograms — “was not removed and has not been moved since,” the official said.
The official added that while Iran may still be able to reach the stockpile at Isfahan, removing it would be difficult due to the extent of the bomb damage. “The Iranians might still be able to gain access to Isfahan but it would be hard to remove any of the material there,” the official said, according to Reuters.
Before the strikes, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) had assessed that most of Iran’s 60% enriched uranium was stored at the Isfahan complex. Since the attacks, IAEA inspectors have left the country following a new Iranian law that bars cooperation with the UN watchdog.
Tehran has accused the agency of leaking sensitive information to Israel and the United States and has said future coordination will be managed by its Supreme National Security Council. The IAEA has not been able to verify the location or status of the uranium stockpile since the strikes.
Putin conveyed his position to both President Donald Trump and Iranian leaders in recent weeks, encouraging Tehran to move toward a deal that would help restart negotiations with Washington.
“Putin would support zero enrichment,” one European official told Axios. “He encouraged the Iranians to work toward that… The Iranians said they won’t consider it.”
Shortly after publication, Iran’s Tasnim News, affiliated with the Revolutionary Guards, rejected the Axios report, citing an informed source.
Moscow has long defended Iran’s right to enrich uranium in public, but behind closed doors, Russian officials have taken a tougher stance following the 12-day war between Iran and Israel, according to European and Israeli officials familiar with the talks cited by Axios.
Despite Iran’s military support for Russia in Ukraine, including drones and missiles, Tehran was frustrated with Moscow’s limited support during the war with Israel, Axios reported.
Russian officials have since told Iran that they would be willing to remove its stockpile of highly enriched uranium and supply low-level fuel for civilian use if a deal is reached.
Araghchi says Iran open to nuclear talks, but enrichment non-negotiable
Tehran has insisted it will not accept any agreement that eliminates its ability to enrich uranium.
Iran is open to future talks over its nuclear program but will not accept any deal that excludes uranium enrichment, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Saturday during a meeting with foreign envoys in Tehran.
“We have always been ready to negotiate over our nuclear program and will continue to be,” Araghchi said. “But it is natural that we must ensure any future talks are not turned into war by the US or others.”
“No agreement will be accepted without enrichment,” he added. “If talks happen, the subject will only be the nuclear issue.”
Araghchi ruled out any discussion of Iran’s military capabilities. “Iran’s military and defense power will not be part of any negotiation,” he said.
He said Iran’s nuclear facilities were damaged in recent strikes by the US and Israel, but the bigger blow was to the global non-proliferation regime. “The reality is our facilities were hit, but what was hit harder was the Non-Proliferation Treaty itself.”
He added that cooperation with the IAEA would continue but now be managed through Iran’s Supreme National Security Council and reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
Axios also reported that plans to hold US-Iran nuclear talks in Oslo have been dropped after both sides cooled on the idea. They are now seeking an alternative venue, according to the sources cited by the report.
Enrichment ban remains key dispute
Meanwhile, Israeli officials continue to warn against any Iranian enrichment. Former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said this week that Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei must abandon nuclear ambitions or face further military action.
“The strikes in June exposed your system and dismantled your capabilities,” Gallant wrote in a public letter.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also dismissed future diplomacy unless Iran ends all enrichment and missile development.
