President Putin on Iran nuclear programme

President Putin sees no obstacles for Iran to sign the additional IAEA protocol.

In an interview with Qatar's satellite channel Al-Jazeera, the Russian leader noted Russia is a party to the nuclear non-proliferation treaty and strictly complies with all regulations of this document.

"Iran has also signed this treaty, and we proceed from it lacking any intention of obtaining nuclear weapons - the Iranian president has mentioned this many times and confirmed it at our Thursday meeting," he said.

If this is so, we see no obstacles for Iran to sign the IAEA additional protocol, or difficulties in revealing this country's nuclear programmes, said Vladimir Putin.

He also recalled that "in a bid to allay fears caused by Iran's nuclear combat programs, Russia had suggested Iran sign the document that Russia's wasted nuclear fuel would be returned to Russia (Russian experts are building the first nuclear power plant in Bushehr, southern Iran).

"If all this takes place, I see no point in restricting Iran in using up-to-date technologies for civil purposes," noted the Russian leader.