Kremlin denies Russia proposed alternatives to JCPOA on Iran nuclear program

The Kremlin on Thursday denied reports that Russia proposed alternatives to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) regarding Iran’s nuclear program during a phone call between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump a day earlier.

“No, that is not true,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists during a press briefing when asked whether Moscow had proposed creating a new mechanism similar to the JCPOA to resolve disagreements surrounding Tehran’s nuclear program.

Peskov’s remarks came after the Russian and US presidents held a phone call Wednesday, during which their conversation focused primarily on the situation around Iran and in the Gulf, among other issues.

“Russia is firmly committed to providing every possible assistance to diplomatic efforts to find a peaceful resolution to the crisis and has proposed a number of proposals aimed at resolving the differences surrounding the Iranian nuclear program.

“To this end, active contacts will continue with Iranian representatives, leaders of the Gulf states, as well as with Israel and, naturally, the American negotiating team,” Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov told reporters following the call.

Responding to a separate question about “expert opinions” that the call significantly defused the global situation, Peskov said he had not heard such assessments.

“Of course, one telephone conversation can hardly improve the situation in the world, because, unfortunately, the concentration of conflicts is so great and the consequences of a whole series of conflicts for the international situation, for the international economy, are so serious that, of course, it is very difficult to stop these trends in one moment,” he said.

Victory Day ceasefire proposal

Peskov also spoke about a ceasefire proposed by Putin during his phone call with Trump on the occasion of Russia’s Victory Day celebrations on May 9, saying no decision has yet been made on the exact timing.

“For now, we're assuming we're talking about Victory Day, but the hours when this ceasefire will begin and end will be announced and decided by the Supreme Commander-in-Chief,” Peskov said, referring to Putin.

He added that Russia has not yet received a response from Ukraine on the proposal.

Earlier Thursday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on the US social media platform X that he instructed his country’s representatives to contact Trump’s team to clarify details of the proposed ceasefire, adding Kyiv is continuing diplomatic efforts to end the four-year war.

“We will clarify what exactly this is about -- a few hours of security for a parade in Moscow, or something more. Our proposal is a long-term ceasefire, reliable and guaranteed security for people, and a lasting peace,” he noted.

Peskov later told Russian state news agency Tass that Putin has not invited Trump to the Victory Day parade scheduled to be held in Moscow on May 9.

He also said separately that there are currently no discussions about Azerbaijan as a potential venue for Russia-Ukraine peace negotiations, after Zelenskyy declared his country’s readiness to hold such talks in the South Caucasus nation during a visit to Baku last week.