Russia defends Iran's right to peaceful nuclear program ahead of US-Israel talks

By Dmitry Antonov

MOSCOW, March 21 (Reuters) - Iran has the right to peaceful atomic energy and is acting in line with international law, the Kremlin said on Friday as the United States and Israel prepare for high-level talks on Tehran's nuclear program next week.

Russia has said it is ready to mediate between Iran, with which it signed a strategic partnership treaty in January that includes closer defence cooperation, and the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump, with which it is moving rapidly to improve ties.

Iran was one of the topics discussed in a long phone call between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday, after which the White House said the two leaders "shared the view that Iran should never be in a position to destroy Israel".

At a briefing with reporters, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was asked how Russia would respond if the U.S. or Israel resorted to attacks on Iran's nuclear infrastructure.

"We are convinced that the problem of Iran's nuclear program should be resolved exclusively by peaceful political and diplomatic means, and we believe that everything necessary is available for this. All that is needed is political will," Peskov said.

"Secondly, Iran, like all other countries, has the right to develop the peaceful atomic sector, peaceful nuclear energy, and is taking important steps in this direction. And all this is happening in strict accordance with international law."

He said Moscow accepted Iran's repeated statements that it has no intention of acquiring nuclear weapons.

Trump warned Iran's leadership in a letter earlier this month that they had a choice between striking a nuclear deal with the U.S. or facing possible military action. Iran said it would consider the "opportunities" as well as the threats in his letter.

During his 2017-2021 term, Trump withdrew the United States from a landmark deal between Iran and major powers that had placed strict limits on Tehran's nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief. After Trump pulled out in 2018 and re-imposed sanctions, Iran breached and far surpassed those limits.

Western officials fear that if Iran, despite its denials, were to acquire nuclear arms, it could threaten Israel and Gulf Arab oil producers and spark a regional arms race.

Israel, which is widely believed to have its own nuclear arsenal but will neither confirm nor deny this, has made clear it wants to be aligned with the U.S. on any action against Iran, its regional arch-foe.

Reporting by Dmitry Antonov; Writing by Mark Trevelyan and Anastasia Teterevleva; Editing by Angus MacSwan