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RUSSIA IS CONVINCED IRAN HAS NO NUCLEAR AMBITIONS

RIA Novosti

MOSCOW, February 18 (RIA Novosti) - Iran's recent actions have persuaded Russia that this country does not plan to produce nuclear weapons, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at the meeting with Secretary of the Iranian Supreme National Security Council Hasan Rowhani in the Kremlin.

"It means that we shall continue cooperating with Iran in all spheres, including nuclear energy," Mr. Putin said.

"We expect Iran to stick to all obligations in the bilateral and international formats," he added.

"We are ready for further military-technical cooperation with Iran," Vladimir Putin said.

"I would like to discuss the so-called nuclear program of Iran and the situation in the region," he noted.

On his part, Hasan Rowhani assured that Iran's actions in the nuclear sphere were peaceful.

"When I visited Moscow last year there were many doubts about our nuclear program. Today nobody doubts that our activities in the nuclear sphere are peaceful which is mentioned in the last resolution of the IAEA Board of Governors," Mr. Rowhani said.

According to the Russian leader, Russian-Iranian relations are developing in all spheres.

"Iran is our old partner. In 2003 our bilateral trade grew twice and 2004 saw the same," Mr. Putin noted.

In his words, Russia and Iran have many projects in the economic and security spheres. "We support Iran's initiatives and expect Iran to support ours," the head of state stressed.

Vladimir Putin also spoke about his forthcoming visit to Iran.

"Preparations for the visit are underway. We are discussing the terms. It will be a separate issue on the today's agenda," he said.

"The dialogue between the Caspian states [on the Caspian Sea status] is difficult but I know that all sides strive for compromises," the Russian President continued.

"We assign priority to your visit. It will boost the development of our relations. Mr. Khatami [Iran's President] hopes to welcome you in Tehran in the near future," Hasan Rowhani noted.

A source in the Iranian Foreign Ministry told RIA Novosti that "Mr. Rowhani's talks with Russian top officials would focus on Iran's nuclear programs and the promotion of Moscow-Tehran cooperation in the peaceful nuclear sphere, in particular, the construction of the nuclear power plant in Bushehr".

According to the source, at issue will be the signing of the documents on the conditions of Russia's supplies of nuclear fuel to the Iranian nuclear power plant in Bushehr and the utilization of nuclear wastes. The documents are to be signed in late February in Tehran.

"It is not ruled out that the sides will discuss the recent US threats," RIA Novosti's interlocutor said.

The talks will also focus on the situation in Afghanistan and Iraq, bilateral military-technical cooperation and the Caspian Sea status, the source added.

Yesterday Hasan Rowhani met with Russian Security Council Secretary Igor Ivanov. At first they held private talks and then were joined by members of their delegations. The meeting lasted for several hours.

Igor Ivanov and Hasan Rowhani considered bilateral issues and key international problems, in particular, Moscow-Tehran cooperation in the security sphere.

Moreover, they discussed Iran's nuclear program. Mr. Ivanov pointed out the importance of further constructive dialogue between the IAEA and Iran and Iran's soonest ratification of the additional protocol to the IAEA agreement on guarantees.