The President spoke in favour of continued and expanded cooperation between Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Mr Putin welcomed the statement by Mohammad Khatami that Iran did not intend to pursue any nuclear programmes that would run counter to its international obligations in the field of nuclear non-proliferation.
Noting the complicated context in which the relations between the two countries were developing, Mr Putin nevertheless expressed confidence that the interaction would develop positively both on a bilateral and regional level and in dealing with complicated international issues. Russia and Iran have centuries-old good-neighbourly relations, he stressed.
During their meeting Vladimir Putin and Mohammad Khatami also discussed cooperation on the Caspian Sea, above all in protecting and replenishing its bioresources.