The Hindu : International : Putin backs Iran in nuclear row with U.S.

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Feb 19, 2005

International

International

Putin backs Iran in nuclear row with U.S.

By Vladimir Radyuhin

MOSCOW, FEB. 18. The Russian President, Vladimir Putin, vowed to continue all-round cooperation with Iran, including the nuclear and defence spheres, in a demonstrative show of support for Teheran in its row with the United States over Iran's nuclear programme.

"Recent moves by Iran have convinced us that it has no intention to build nuclear weapons," Mr. Putin told the visiting head of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, Hassan Rowhani, in the Kremlin today. "This means that we will continue our cooperation in all spheres, including nuclear power generation and defence."

Russia's Atomic Energy Agency chief, Alexander Rumyantsev, said on Thursday he will travel to Iran next week to sign a protocol on returning spent nuclear fuel to Russia, which will pave the way to the launch of a Russian-built nuclear reactor in Iran at the end of the current year. The U.S. says the 1,000-MW reactor could help Teheran build nuclear weapons, the charge Russia has brushed away.

The Russian President confirmed plans to visit Iran, saying the two sides are "actively discussing the dates" for his visit. In another snub to Washington two days ago Moscow announced plans to sell air-defence missiles to Syria even as Syria and Iran this week vowed to form a "common front to face threats" from the U.S. and Israel.

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