Putin: Russia backs peaceful Iranian nuclear program
At regional summit at Beijing, Russian president tells Ahmadinejad he supports ‘Iran’s right to modern technologies’
Russian president Vladimir Putin told his Iranian counterpart Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Thursday that Russia supports Iran’s drive for atomic energy, but only for civilian purposes.
In the course of a meeting with Ahmadinejad at the 12th summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Beijing, Putin said, “We have always supported the right of the Iranian people to modern technologies, including the peaceful use of atomic energy.”
Western nations and Israel believe Iran is trying to develop a nuclear bomb under the cover of a civilian program. Tehran maintains its intentions are peaceful, and the situation has resulted in a tense standoff.
Putin made it clear he is speaking on the assumption that the Iran program is not aimed at the creation of weapons of mass destruction. “I want to emphasize that it is a peaceful [nuclear program] that we are talking about. You know our position,” he added.
The Times of Israel Community.