Putin told of a possible assassination attempt in Iran; Tehran says unfounded

Putin told of a possible assassination attempt in Iran; Tehran says unfounded

	Published : Sun, 14 Oct 2007 20:53 By : Agencies Print this Story

MOSCOW (Thomson Financial) - Russian President Vladimir Putin was informed Sunday of reports of a possible attempt on his life in Tehran during a visit to Iran next week, the Kremlin told Agence France-Presse.

The reports were dismissed as completely unfounded by Tehran's foreign ministry, however.

'We cannot comment on this information but we confirm that the president has been informed,' a Kremlin spokesman said when contacted by telephone.

The Interfax news agency reported Sunday, citing a source in the special services, that a group of suicide bombers were preparing to attempt to kill the Russian leader during his visit to Tehran on Tuesday.

Interfax reported that its source relied on information received from outside Russia.

The country's FSB security service -- the former KGB -- refused to comment.

Iran foreign ministry spokesman Mohammad Ali told AFP: 'The reports in some media are completely without foundation and part of a psychological war waged by enemies to disrupt relations between Iran and Russia,'

'Such erroneous reports will have no effect on the programme already decided upon for Putin's visit to Tehran' which begins on Tuesday, Hosseini added.

Putin, who was scheduled to visit Germany Sunday, is expected to travel to Iran later in the week to reinforce Russia's relations with the country and President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

The visit is officially part of a summit of countries bordering the Caspian Sea.

Russia, one of the rare countries outside the Middle East to have good relations with Iran, is opposed to further UN sanctions against Tehran over its nuclear programme.

Western powers suspect Iran of covertly seeking to develop nuclear weapons, while Tehran claims its nuclear activities are strictly to provide energy.

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