
Russian Foreign Ministry Lavrov: Russia Is Ready To Provide Its Uranium Depletion Services To Iran
Following is a selection of statements, as provided by journalist Olga Keskin, that Lavrov made at the recent BRICS summit:[2]
"We Possess Such Technological Capabilities – We Are Ready To Provide Them"
"Russia is ready to provide its uranium depletion services to Iran. This was announced by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov by the results of the BRICS summit in Rio de Janeiro.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov (Source: Foreign Ministry / Telegram)[3]
"'As for Russia, we are not talking about mediation. Russian President Vladimir Putin recalled that when the Joint Comprehensive Program of Action on Iran's nuclear program was agreed upon, it took into account Russia's ability to provide uranium depletion services (which had accumulated in the Islamic Republic of Iran prior to the passing of this document) to the level necessary for energy purposes in nuclear power plants. Because over the years since the U.S. unilaterally withdrew from the Joint Comprehensive Program of Action, Iran had no commitment to limit enrichment, but now there are such talks. You have just reminded us that we possess such technological capabilities. We are ready to provide them, taking away the surplus of over-enriched uranium for processing in Russia and later return of energy-enriched uranium to the Islamic Republic for its nuclear power facilities,' stated Lavrov. Naturally [it will happen], according to the minister, provided 'the parties are comfortable with Russia helping to bring their positions closer together.'
"Lavrov noted that 'the Joint Comprehensive Program of Action, which was approved, for which all participants were thanked by the international community, and which was later canceled, was developed with the participation of, among others, the Europeans, the Americans, Russia and China.' 'So, should the main actor – Tehran – express such a desire, we would be eager to step forward,' said the minister.
"The minister also emphasized the fact that the leadership of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) 'must demonstrate accountability for the assessments it issues, [the assessment it] has published in the past, and which were presented to the Board of Governors of the Organization literally a few days before the start of the aggression.'"
"The West... Has Long And Undeservedly Held More Seats [In The UNSC] Than It Should From The Point Of View Of The Balance Of Power"
"These assessments, Lavrov said, were regarded by many as 'ambiguous' and 'the "Western troika" (France, Britain, Germany) seized upon these assessments, introducing a resolution at the UN Security Council that was sharply critical of Iran.'
"A day or two later, an Israeli attack on civilian nuclear facilities under IAEA safeguards followed. That was, a fairly simple and understandable 'chain,' in which the IAEA Secretariat, willingly or unwillingly, played a well-known role. Therefore, now we believe that the Secretariat must provide guarantees that from now on it will strictly follow the powers with which it is vested, and not try to fabricate some narratives, which are subsequently used for politicization and for promoting of the unilateral interests of individual members,' Lavrov added.
"The head of the Russian Foreign Ministry said that at the current summit 'a lot of attention was paid to the reform of global governance mechanisms,' wherein 'unusually high attention compared to previous years, was paid to the reform of the United Nations.'
"'The text that was agreed upon reaffirms the need to expand the Security Council by overcoming the under-representation of the countries of Asia, Africa and Latin America. We are not talking about the West. It has long and undeservedly held more seats than it should from the point of view of the balance of power, the balance of forces in the international arena,' said Lavrov."
"NATO Expansion Didn't Benefit Anyone"
"The head of the Russian Foreign Ministry believes that 'NATO expansion didn't benefit anyone, including the members of the North Atlantic Alliance themselves.' 'There are deepening disagreements there [NATO], sort of a light mutiny on the ship is brewing, as an increasing number of countries want to be guided not by some ideologized attitudes imposed by the host, but by their national interests,' added the Russian foreign minister."
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Rudaw Net
4 hours ago
- Rudaw Net
Three dead in natural park blaze in Iran's Kurdistan province: Watchdog
Also in Iran Iran executes over 100 Kurds in 2025 amid post-war crackdown: Watchdog Tensions rise in Iranian parliament ahead of IAEA visit At least five killed in attack on Iran courthouse Iranian diplomat says had 'frank' talks with European powers A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Three environmental activists lost their lives and several others were injured while attempting to extinguish a wildfire that broke out in a popular natural park in western Iran's (Rojhelat) Kurdistan province, a human rights watchdog said on Monday. A blaze at Kurdistan's Abidar Natural Park, among the most well-known areas in the province, broke out on Thursday and quickly spread to residential complexes nearby. The fire was eventually brought under control by local residents and environmental activists, who criticized the government for insufficient support. The Oslo-based Hengaw Human Rights Organization said that environmental activists Khabat Amini, Chaiko Yousefinejad, and Hamid Moradi died due to 'severe burns' sustained from the fire. Five other environmental activists were injured, according to Hengaw. Footage dated Monday showed a large crowd gathering before a local hospital in Kurdistan's provincial capital of Sanandaj to honor their dedication, Hengaw added, and their funerals drew a large crowd. A two-day mourning period was declared in Sanandaj by Governor Arash Lihony after their deaths. The Abidar Natural Park in Kurdistan province is renowned for its scenic beauty and its open-air cinema, considered one of the largest of its kind in the Middle East, making it a popular tourist destination and outdoor recreation area for residents. Forest fires in Rojhelat, particularly in the vicinity of Kurdistan province, have become increasingly regular over the past few years, sparking concerns from environmentalists amid claims of arson. Many hold the Iranian government responsible for the blazes. Iranian security forces also routinely arrest environmentalists seeking to control the flames.


Shafaq News
4 hours ago
- Shafaq News
Russia, Ukraine trade overnight airstrikes
Shafaq News – Kyiv/Moscow Russia and Ukraine launched large-scale aerial attacks overnight, with Kyiv reporting the interception of more than 300 threats and Moscow announcing it had downed seven Ukrainian drones across multiple regions. According to Ukraine's General Staff on Monday, Russian forces fired over 330 aerial weapons—including Shahed drones, cruise missiles, and Kinzhal hypersonic missiles—mostly aimed at Khmelnytskyi, with Ukrainian defenses intercepting 309 drones and two Kh-101 missiles, while three Kinzhal ballistic missiles missed their targets. The barrage reportedly began at 7:30 p.m. on July 27 and stretched into the early hours of July 28, originating from Russian regions such as Bryansk, Kursk, Oryol, Lipetsk, and Saratov, with Starokostiantyniv and its key airbase appearing to be the main target. Ukraine responded with fighter jets, surface-to-air systems, electronic warfare units, and mobile teams to repel the assault. Meanwhile, Russia's Defense Ministry reported that it shot down seven Ukrainian fixed-wing drones—four over Rostov, and one each in Oryol, Kaluga, and Bryansk. The strikes came shortly after a third round of direct talks in Istanbul, where both sides agreed to exchange 1,200 prisoners each, including both civilians and military personnel.


Rudaw Net
20 hours ago
- Rudaw Net
Iran executes over 100 Kurds in 2025 amid post-war crackdown: Watchdog
Also in Iran Tensions rise in Iranian parliament ahead of IAEA visit At least five killed in attack on Iran courthouse Iranian diplomat says had 'frank' talks with European powers Iran says to continue nuclear enrichment A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iran has executed at least 100 Kurdish citizens since the start of 2025, including several political prisoners, a human rights watchdog warned Sunday. The surge comes as Iran has been upping its sentences on detainees, following its recent 12-day war with Israel. 'Since the beginning of 2025, the Islamic Republic of Iran has executed at least 100 Kurds, including four political prisoners,' reported the Oslo-based Hengaw Human Rights Organization. The watchdog censured what it described as Tehran's 'death-driven and discriminatory policy,' calling it 'part of a broader project of structural oppression against the Kurdish people that must be halted immediately.' On Saturday, Hengaw released a detailed report documenting a steep deterioration in the country's human rights landscape following the June conflict between Iran and Israel. According to the watchdog, between the outbreak of the war on June 13 and a month after the ceasefire on June 24, 'at least 85 prisoners have been executed in various prisons' across Iran. Among the executed were six individuals - three of them Kurdish - accused of 'espionage for Israel.' Hengaw noted that these executions were carried out secretly, with no final visits permitted for families. Hengaw also reported that 'at least 30 political activists, including 18 Kurdish citizens, were sentenced to death or imprisonment" by the Iranian judiciary over the past month, with cumulative sentences amounting to 272 years and 9 months. Additionally, the Oslo-based human rights monitor pointed to widespread arrests. 'From the start of the Iran-Israel war until one month after the ceasefire, at least 1,800 people were arrested across Iran,' it said. Kurds made up the largest share, with 500 detained. Many were accused by Iranian intelligence agencies of "espionage for Israel." For its part, the Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN) on Thursday corroborated these findings, reporting that "over 330 Kurdish activists and other citizens' were arrested across Iran by the Iranian intelligence ministry and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) intelligence apparatus during the conflict with Israel and its aftermath. Among them, 18 Kurdish political activists were collectively sentenced to 221 years and 7 months in prison, and five received a total of 11 death sentences for charges including 'collaboration with [the Israeli intelligence agency] Mossad and Israel.' These reports emerge amid new measures taken by Iranian authorities to intensify the crackdown on alleged espionage and collaboration with Israel and the United States. Earlier this month, Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejei, head of Iran's judiciary, ordered expedited processing of spy cases linked to Israel. 'Part of the deterrence in this matter lies in the speed of action,' Ejei said. His comments followed the Iranian parliament's passage of amendments to the country's espionage laws, significantly broadening the definition of hostile activity and introducing capital punishment for a wider range of offenses linked to Israel and the United States. Tensions between Iran and Israel escalated sharply on June 13 after Israeli airstrikes in Iran killed several senior military commanders and nuclear scientists. Iran retaliated with missile and drone attacks on Israeli targets. The conflict widened on June 22 when the United States bombed three Iranian nuclear sites, prompting Tehran to strike back with a missile attack on a US base in Qatar. A ceasefire, brokered by Washington, took effect on June 24 and has largely held. Since the ceasefire, Iranian authorities have ramped up arrests and executions of alleged spies, releasing televised confessions from several detainees. However, human rights groups have questioned the credibility of such confessions, citing longstanding concerns over Iran's use of coercion to extract false admissions.