Putin, Ahmadinejad Hold Telephone Talks

Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad (left) with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin (file photo)

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad conferred by telephone on May 12 and expressed a mutual willingness to "continue the onward development of Russia-Iranian relations," the Kremlin press service reported.

Ahmadinejad congratulated Putin on his May 8 inauguration as president, and the two men "mapped out" plans for further contacts.

Moscow has strong military and economic ties with the Islamic republic and has steadfastily urged that the international community cope with the controversy over Iran's nuclear program exclusively through negotiations and diplmatic means.

On May 14, Iranian representatives will meet in Vienna with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for another round of talks about the nuclear program.

Based on reporting by AFP and Interfax