(MENAFN) Russia has strongly denied claims by US media that President Vladimir Putin urged Iran to accept a nuclear deal eliminating its uranium enrichment rights, calling the report a manipulative attempt to inflame tensions in the region.

In a statement issued on Sunday, the Russian Foreign Ministry dismissed the report as a fabricated provocation, accusing Western media of being a “tool” used by political elites and the so-called “deep state” to push their agendas—resorting to disinformation and staged narratives.

The ministry specifically called out the US-based outlet Axios, labeling it a “toilet tank” for what it described as repeatedly publishing targeted misinformation. It referred to Axios’ recent article titled “Scoop: Putin urges Iran to take ‘zero enrichment’ nuclear deal with US, sources say” as the latest example.

According to Russian officials, the report appears to be “yet another dirty, politicized campaign launched with the aim of escalating tensions around Iran’s nuclear program.” Moscow reiterated that its stance on the matter remains unchanged—that the Iranian nuclear issue should be resolved “exclusively by political and diplomatic means.”

The original Axios article, citing unnamed European and Israeli officials, claimed Putin had told both US President Donald Trump and Iranian authorities—after the conclusion of the 12-day Israel-Iran war—that he would support a nuclear agreement based on “zero enrichment.” One European source allegedly said that Putin had encouraged Tehran to consider the deal to help restart talks with Washington, though Iran reportedly rejected the idea.

Meanwhile, Iran’s Tasnim news agency cited sources stating that Tehran had not received any such communication from the Kremlin.

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