"The right thing to do is to look for ways to end hostilities and find ways to safeguard the interests of Iran and Israel," Putin said , answering questions from executives of leading news agencies at the St. Petersburg Conservatory .
He pointed out that Iran's "underground factories" are still in place, adding, "In this context, we must all seek ways to end the conflict and reach an agreement."
"We have sent certain signals to our Iranian friends. Overall, it is possible to secure Iran's interests in peaceful nuclear energy and alleviate Israel's security concerns," he said.
Putin noted that his country had discussed the details of these proposed solutions with Israel and the United States. He confirmed that they had conveyed the proposals to the relevant parties, saying, "We are not imposing anything on anyone. We are only talking about how we see a possible way out of the situation."
He added that the final decision rests with the political leadership in Israel and Iran.
Asked whether Russia had a plan to support Iran, Putin said, "There is no defense clause in the strategic partnership agreement, and our Iranian friends are not asking for it."
He continued: "Russian experts are still working at the Bushehr nuclear facility in Iran. There are 250 people there, and their number may reach 600. Isn't this support?"
Putin also responded to a question about a possible attack on Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, saying, "I don't even want to discuss such a possibility."
Regarding Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's statements that Israel's attacks could lead to regime change in Iran, Putin said that one must always consider whether the main objective has been achieved before embarking on any action.
He added, "Today, in Iran, despite all the complexities of the ongoing internal political processes, we see a social unification around the country's political leadership."
