In his annual address to the Kremlin on Thursday, Putin said “a breakthrough” has been achieved over the Iranian nuclear energy program referring to the recent nuclear deal between Iran and six major world powers. He said, however, that “this is only the first step.”

“It is necessary to carry on a patient search for a broader solution to guarantee the unalienable right of Iran to develop a peaceful atomic energy industry,” he said, adding the final settlement should also guarantee security for all countries of the region.

On November 24, Iran and the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council - Russia, China, France, Britain and the US - plus Germany sealed an interim deal in the Swiss city of Geneva to lay the groundwork for the full resolution of the dispute between the West and Iran over the Islamic Republic’s nuclear energy program.

In exchange for Iran agreeing to limit certain aspects of its nuclear activities, the six countries undertook to lift some of the existing sanctions against the Islamic Republic.

Putin went on to say that Iran’s nuclear deal with the West leaves no place for the deployment of the long-touted Western-built missile system in Europe.

NATO is currently rolling out its new Europe-wide missile system, which will include two bases close to the Russian border in Romania and Poland.

Russia has long protested the establishment of such bases on its borders. Moscow has called for shared control of any such system, saying that the aim of the system is to encircle Russia, but Washington claims the bases are directed against “threatening” states.

SHI/SHI