Iran has the right to pursue peaceful nuclear energy and is acting within the framework of international law, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Friday, as Washington continues to pressure Tehran to curb its nuclear activities.
Peskov, speaking at a briefing with reporters, added that Moscow accepts Iran’s assurances that it has no intention of developing nuclear weapons.
"We are convinced that the problem of Iran's nuclear program should be resolved exclusively by peaceful political and diplomatic means, and we believe that everything necessary is available for this. All that is needed is political will," Peskov said.
The subject of Iran was among the key issues discussed during an extended phone conversation earlier this week between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. According to the White House, both leaders “shared the view that Iran should never be in a position to destroy Israel.”
Tensions between Tehran and Washington have escalated in recent weeks. US President Donald Trump said last week that Iran faces two paths: “military action, or a deal.” Iran’s leadership dismissed the ultimatum, with President Masoud Pezeshkian insisting Tehran "will not bow to US orders to talk."
Peskov's comments echoed statements he made last week, reaffirming that Iran has “every right to develop peaceful nuclear energy” and is “fulfilling its obligations under international agreements.” Speaking to reporters then, Peskov emphasized that Iran’s nuclear activities remain within legal frameworks established by international law. “We see that Iran is acting within these legal frameworks,” he said.
His comments also come as Iran, China, and Russia strengthen coordination on nuclear diplomacy, following trilateral talks in Beijing last week. In a joint statement issued after the meeting, the three countries emphasized the need to resolve the nuclear issue through dialogue based on mutual respect and condemned what they described as “unlawful” unilateral sanctions imposed on Iran.
“The right of Iran to the peaceful use of nuclear energy must be fully respected,” the statement read, calling for the lifting of all sanctions.
Led by deputy foreign ministers—Russia’s Sergei Ryabkov, Iran’s Kazem Gharibabadi, and China’s Ma Zhaoxu—the talks in Beijing signaled a unified stance against expanding the scope of nuclear negotiations. According to Gharibabadi, the three sides agreed that any future discussions must focus solely on Iran’s nuclear program and the removal of sanctions, explicitly rejecting the inclusion of Iran’s missile program or regional activities.
Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi expressed cautious openness to indirect talks through Oman but warned that negotiating under maximum pressure would reflect “a position of weakness.”
Meanwhile, concerns over Iran’s nuclear activities have grown. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported that Iran has significantly ramped up uranium enrichment, nearing weapons-grade levels. Iran denies seeking nuclear weapons, saying the move is a response to continued US sanctions.
A second tremor, measuring 4.5 magnitude, followed just hours later at 1:03 PM local time, according to the Iranian Seismological Center.
In response to concerns about the site’s safety, Behrouz Kamalvandi, the deputy head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization, said the earthquakes had no impact on the Natanz nuclear facility. “The Natanz nuclear site is designed to withstand earthquakes far more powerful than what occurred today,” he added.
Local officials reported shattered windows in several residential buildings across nearby villages, though no casualties have been reported so far.
The Natanz facility, mostly deep underground and central to Iran’s controversial nuclear program, has been the target of past sabotage. In July 2020, a blast at the centrifuge assembly plant at Natanz caused extensive damage, which Iranian officials later blamed on sabotage. Less than a year later, in April 2021, a second major incident struck the facility, again reportedly the result of sabotage, with Iran directly accusing Israel.
The 2021 attack came just after new advanced centrifuges had been activated, and US intelligence sources later told The New York Times that the strike destroyed the facility’s independent internal power system, delaying enrichment activities for months.
Last year, an Israeli airstrike targeted an S-300 air defense system near Esfahan, the same province housing Natanz—raising regional security concerns.
The quake comes at a delicate time, as US and Israeli officials prepare for high-level consultations in Washington next week to discuss Iran's nuclear program and potential diplomatic options. With tensions simmering, analysts warn that even natural events near sensitive sites could escalate geopolitical anxieties.
Natanz remains a flashpoint amid growing scrutiny from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which recently expressed concern over Iran’s stockpile of near-weapons-grade uranium.