Putin: Iran not seeking Russian military aid amid tensions
ISTANBUL: Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that Iran is not seeking military support from Moscow despite heightened tensions with Israel, dismissing the notion of a military alliance between the two countries.
'Iran is not asking us for any military assistance,' he told international news agency executives during a meeting in St. Petersburg.
'Even when we offered to jointly develop air defence systems in the past, there was little interest from the Iranian side,' he added, Anadolu Ajansi reported.
Putin also said that finding ways to end hostilities between Iran and Israel would be in the interest of all parties.
He noted that there are options to address both sides' concerns, which have been presented to relevant partners.
Putin also confirmed that Russia and Iran have signed a contract to build two additional units at the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant.
'The work is underway. Our specialists are on site -- over 200 people. We have agreed with the Israeli leadership that their safety will be ensured,' he added.
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