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Putin, Khamenei defiant over Assad future

“Surely it would be utterly wrong to prohibit Tehran from resuming oil export after the nuclear program-induced sanctions have been lifted”, Mirsky said. Under its terms, Iran agreed to limit its uranium enrichment activities, eliminate its stockpile of medium-enriched uranium and limit its stockpile of low enriched uranium over the next 15 years. Iran must also reduce ts supply of low-enriched uranium, which stood at 7,845 kilograms in August, down to 300 kilograms. The objective of the Russian president’s visit was to discuss the Syrian crisis with the Iranian leader and to attend the Gas Exporting Countries Forum summit. But some have speculated that Moscow could be prepared to see Assad phased out of power as part of a deal that would guarantee stability in Syria and protect Russia’s interests there.

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The threat from IS has taken on new potency and spread into Europe since the jihadists committed coordinated gun and bomb attacks in Paris 10 days ago, killing 130 people. For Russia, defending Assad and confronting IS has become more important since the militants blew up a Russian airliner over Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula on October 31, killing all 224 on board.

Iran’s nuclear programme remains controversial and is under close global scrutiny.

In late September, Russia, Syria, Iraq and Iran created the Baghdad Information Center to coordinate joint military action against ISIL.

Putin’s three-day visit to Tehran was scheduled around a summit on gas exports.

The former Soviet Union was the first state to recognise Iran as an Islamic republic after the 1979 revolution.

These new commitments build on previous Russian pledges to provide Iran with advanced missile-defense systems, which Tehran has sought to defend its nuclear infrastructure against possible attack.

The Iranian President noted that such provocative acts and their many consequences would legally fall on the shoulders of the one who has started them, inviting Turkey to use caution during these sensitive times.

Offering gratitude to Putin for the efforts Russian Federation has made with regard to the settlement of Iran’s nuclear issue, Khamenei said: “This (Iran’s nuclear) issue has reached a conclusion, but we place no trust in the Americans and we are watching the behavior and performance of the American government on this issue with open eyes”.

On Monday, Syrian state media and a monitoring group said government troops backed by Russian airstrikes captured areas from the Islamic State in west-central Homs province, according to the Associated Press.

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“Although Moscow and Tehran are unanimous the future of Syria’s President Bashar Assad and the country’s political future is to be decided by the Syrian people without any outside pressures, some latent disagreements remain”, Akhmetov believes.

Russia lifts ban on export of uranium enrichment equipment to Iran