The Russian and U.S. presidents share "cautious optimism" about the future of talks on the Iranian nuclear program under Iran's newly elected president, Hassan Rouhani.
Rouhani, 64, a former negotiator on nuclear issues, gained more than 50 percent of the votes in the country's June 14 presidential election. On Sunday, during his first press conference since being declared winner, he said that Iran is prepared to "see tensions alleviated."
"We hope that new opportunities for solving the Iranian nuclear problem will emerge after the Iranian elections," President Vladimir Putin told journalists after talks with U.S. leader Barack Obama.
He said that Moscow was ready to contribute to the negotiation process both on a bilateral level and as part of international efforts.
Obama, in his turn, said he and Putin shared "cautious optimism" on the issue and expressed hope that under the new president of Iran, all the parties concerned would have an opportunity to "move forward with dialogue."
The U.S. president also said that two "nuclear superpowers" — Russia and the U.S. — should lead the global nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament efforts.
Putin said he also discussed with Obama another controversial nuclear program, ran by North Korea.
"We also talked about the North Korean problem. We agreed to boost our cooperation in all these directions," the Russian president said.
The two leaders also discussed bilateral relations, counter-terrorism efforts and international issues, such as Syria, during the talks which they described as frank and useful.
Putin and Obama met on the sidelines of the G8 summit in Northern Ireland. The meeting lasted almost two hours, some 50 minutes longer than it was initially planned.
Related articles:
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.