FM officials deny Putin's next month visit to Tehran

Diplomatic sources at the Iranian foreign ministry dismissed media reports on the Russian President's visit to Tehran in early August to discuss military and nuclear deals with his Iranian counterpart, but meantime said Vladimir Putin and Hassan Rouhani will meet in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, later in Summer. "At present, the issue of Russian President Mr. Putin's visit to the Islamic Republic of Iran is not on agenda," an informed source at the Iranian embassy in Moscow told FNA on Thursday. "According to the preliminary agreements, the first meeting between the Iranian and Russian presidents is due to be held on the sidelines of the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) heads-of-state summit in Bishkek in September," the source, who asked to remain unnamed due to the sensitivity of the issue, added. In relevant remarks on Wednesday, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Seyed Abbas Araqchi also said in an interview with the Iranian students news agency that "I do not confirm the report regarding Putin's visit to Tehran." Also, Russian Federation presidential press-secretary Dmitry Peskov didn't confirm information on the head of state's visit to Iran. "I can't confirm it yet," Peskov said to RIA Novosti. "Many visits are being prepared and there will be information provided on them as soon as they are confirmed," he added. Media reports said on Wednesday that Putin is slated to pay a visit to Tehran in August to take part in Rouhani's inauguration ceremony and to discuss bilateral ties and mutual cooperation with senior Iranian officials, including construction of the new phase of Bushehr Nuclear Plant and the possible delivery of a substitute for S-300 defense shield. “The Russian president will travel to Tehran on August 12,” Russian newspaper Kommersant quoted an informed source in the Russian foreign ministry as saying. “Putin wants to discuss two important issues which are  construction of a new phase for the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant and replacing S-300 missile system with Antei-2500 missile defense shield delivery,” the source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, added. The source noted that Putin is also due to discuss the latest developments in the West’s standoff with Iran over the latter’s peaceful nuclear program in his upcoming visit to Iran. The Russian president last month underlined Iran’s inalienable right to peaceful nuclear technology, and said no evidence has been found so far to show military aspect of Iran’s nuclear program.