The White House said it was not throwing Russia a lifeline by exempting sanctions on the country’s nuclear sector, despite Moscow’s attempts to leverage the issue during high-stake talks over a return to the Iran nuclear deal.

The United States has imposed heavy economic penalties on Russia in response to its war in Ukraine, seeking to drive up the costs of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion. But it hasn’t touched Russia’s nuclear sector or the companies that handle fuel swaps, including with Iran.