Putin believes that agreement will be reached on Iran’s nuclear program

ST. PETERSBURG, June 19. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin has said Friday he believes that the agreement on Iranian nuclear program will be reached. "We think that this is very important in order to defuse the situation," Putin said, answering questions from participants in the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. "The most important thing is starting the process of implementation of those agreements after signing, and it will take around half a year," the Russian president stressed, adding that he discussed this issue with IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) Director General Yukiya Amano. "It is also important that all regional countries, regional powers do not feel that for them comes some kind of moment after which they can expect the deterioration of the situation in the region, emergence of threats for them - this cannot be allowed in any case," the Russian leader said. He stressed that "Russia will continue developing good neighborly relations and friendly relations with Iran and other countries in the region." The Russian president said he considers it very important that Washington supports future agreements on the settlement of the Iranian nuclear program. "It is no less important [than signing the agreement on Tehran’s nuclear program] that the United States treat this positively, [that they] support it, [that] the Congress supports it," Putin said. The Russian leader noted that he is aware of discussions underway in the US, and that "the president has the right to sign it, that those agreements do not require ratification." Putin paid special attention to the fact that participants in the negotiations share the same position - not to allow proliferation of WMD (weapons of mass destruction). "We have common understanding with all participants in this process, including with the United States, with European countries, and with Iran hopefully, that we all categorically oppose proliferation of weapons of mass destruction," he said. Agreement on Iran’s nuclear program Following a negotiating marathon in Switzerland in early April, Iran and the six powers, reached a framework agreement on cutting down Tehran’s nuclear program. The framework has cleared the way for talks on a comprehensive deal with Iran by June 30 under which it would limit its nuclear activities for at least a decade in exchange for a gradual end to all sanctions imposed by the United Nations, the European Union and the United States on Tehran’s energy and financial sectors. The Russian side believes that negotiations on Tehran’s nuclear program could be successfully completed if the sides observed agreements reached in the Swiss city of Lausanne in April. "There is no obstacle to successful completion of talks on Iran’s nuclear problem if all negotiators stick to the political framework agreed at a foreign ministers’ meeting in Lausanne," Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said after talks with counterparts from Iran and China in Moscow earlier in June. Read more