Putin: Iran not developing nukes
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TEHRAN, Iran (CNN) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin says he is convinced Iran is not trying to develop nuclear weapons and that Russia will continue cooperating with Iran on its nuclear program, according to Russia's Interfax news agency.
Putin -- who met at the Kremlin with Iran's security chief Hasan Rowhani Friday -- said he would visit Iran soon, Interfax reported.
"The latest steps taken by Iran have convinced us that Iran does not intend to produce nuclear arms," Putin said.
"In this context, we will continue cooperation with Iran in all areas, including the nuclear energy field," Putin said.
Moscow has been under strong pressure from the United States not to go ahead with providing nuclear fuel for Iran's $800 million reactor in the southern city of Bushehr.
The United States says the technology used at the reactor could help Iran to develop nuclear weapons. Russia denies that and notes that its agreement on return of fuel will eliminate the possibility that Tehran could use it for nuclear weapons.
According to Russian media, the head of the Russian Federal Nuclear Energy Agency Alexander Rumyantsev will travel to Tehran later this month to sign an agreement to store spent fuel from Bushehr in Russia.
On Thursday, Rumyantsev said the two countries would sign a deal this month allowing Iran to get nuclear fuel from Russia for its reactor in Bushehr.
The United States has repeatedly expressed its concern to Russia on cooperating with Iran.
U.S. President George W. Bush said Thursday there was still time for diplomacy to halt Iran's nuclear ambitions.
"We'll work very closely with our European friends and other nations," he said.
The Bush administration -- who grouped Iran with North Korea and Iraq into part of an "axis of evil" in 2002 -- has been piling pressure on Iran to halt its nuclear program, arguing the country is operating a clandestine weapons program.
Iran, rich in oil but struggling to power a growing population, has insisted its nuclear program is designed for civilian production only.
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Associated Press contributed to this report.
