Putin, Ahmadinejad discuss nuclear dispute

Russian President Vladimir Putin told his Iranian counterpart Thursday that he wanted to discuss a European proposal for Iran to relinquish its nuclear fuel enrichment program. Speaking at the start of a meeting with Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Putin said he wanted to go over the European proposal but stressed Russia's long-standing diplomatic support for Iran. "Russia has always been a reliable partner," Putin told Ahmadinejad. Ahmadinejad said he appreciated Russia's stance on the nuclear issue: "Our positions are clear and very close to one another."