MOSCOW/WASHINGTON — Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Barack Obama discussed by telephone on Wednesday the nuclear deal between Iran and six world powers and agreed it was in the interests of the world as a whole, the Kremlin said.
The Kremlin said the telephone conversation took place on the initiative of the United States and that the two sides stressed the role of Russian-U.S. dialogue in ensuring world security and stability.
The nuclear deal signed earlier this week in Vienna would help foster nuclear non-proliferation and ease tensions in the Middle East, the Kremlin said in a statement.
Russia and the United States expressed a joint willingness to work together to ensure the Vienna agreements on Iran's disputed nuclear program would be upheld, the statement added.
Obama telephoned Putin to thank him for his part in the recent nuclear deal with Iran, the White House said.
"The President thanked President Putin for Russia's important role in achieving this milestone, the culmination of nearly 20 months of intense negotiations," the White House said in a statement.
It added that Obama and Putin agreed to remain in close touch as the Iran deal is implemented and would work together to reduce tensions in the Middle East, particularly in Syria.
Russia was one of the six major powers that negotiated the deal reached with Iran on Tuesday in Vienna. The others were the United States, Germany, the European Union, China, Britain and France.
