Putin says feels ‘deep concern’ at Trump Iran move: Kremlin

Team Udayavani, May 10, 2018, 11:29 AM IST

Moscow: Russian President Vladimir Putin today said he was seriously concerned by US President Donald Trump’s abandoning the Iran nuclear deal.

Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov told RIA Novosti news agency that Putin in comments to his national Security Council expressed “deep concern over such a decision and once more stressed the importance of this document.” 

Putin was set later today to hold talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who backed Trump’s decision. Netanyahu before leaving Israel said that “the meetings between us are always important and this one is especially so.” 

The two leaders earlier today watched a Red Square parade marking the anniversary of victory over Nazi Germany in World War II, with some of the country’s latest weaponry on display. Russia’s foreign ministry said late Tuesday it was “deeply disappointed” by Trump’s announcement that the United States would pull out of the Iran deal, while Netanyahu strongly supported the US president’s “bold” move.

Moscow and Tehran have close political and economic relations. In the nuclear field, Russia has already built one reactor at Iran’s Bushehr plant, the country’s only nuclear power plant, and has started work on two new ones.

By contrast Netanyahu on Monday held a televised presentation of what he called “proof” of Iran’s alleged past military nuclear ambitions. Netanyahu and Putin have held a series of meetings and phone conversations in recent months, particularly related to the conflict in Syria where Israel has vowed to prevent Iran building a military presence.