Iran nuclear talks will reach compromise 'soon': Putin

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday he believed global powers and Iran will "soon" reach a compromise in talks on Tehran's nuclear programme, AFP reports.

"A compromise should be found," Putin said after hosting a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation in the Urals city of Ufa, where he met with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Thursday.

"In my opinion, it will be found soon," he said.

Talks toward a nuclear deal dragged into a 14th day on Friday, with Tehran accusing the West of backtracking and Washington saying it was prepared to walk away.

But Putin said he was hopeful that Iran and the P5+1 group - Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States -- would soon agree on guarantees for a successful resolution.

"Not only Iran and talks participants but all of the countries in the region including Arab countries and Israel are interested in this," Putin said.

"We proceed from the fact that all sanctions against Iran should be lifted," he said, stressing that this should happen "as soon as possible."

"We believe this is not the way to solve international problems," he said. 

Iran has insisted that changes be made to the United Nations arms embargo and restrictions on missile sales be eased, a prospect that alarms Tehran's rivals and US allies in the region.

Putin forcefully denounced sanctions in general, as Russia reels from Western punitive measures over the Ukraine crisis.

"We proceed from the fact that instruments such as sanctions should be completely removed from the international economic lexicon and communication," Putin said.

"They should not be used in world economy because they turn it upside down."

Russia has been hit hard by Western sanctions over Moscow's involvement in the conflict in Ukraine, with Putin admitting that punitive measures had contributed to the country's economic turmoil.

Putin conceded that the scrapping of sanctions would likely see Iran ramp up oil output but said that the global economy would adjust.

"We are absolutely ready for this," he said.

    Putin slams EU over Greece

The Russian strongman, who also hosted a summit of the BRICS emerging economies in Ufa this week, criticised the European Union's handling of the Greek crisis and appeared to defend Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras.

"Of course, the Greeks can be blamed for everything, but where was the European Commission if there were violations in their work?" Putin said.

"Why did it not make corrections to the economic work of previous Greek governments?" Putin said, referring to hefty "bonuses and credits" and subsidies.

"Where were they before?"

"It means the Greek government has things to talk about, to argue about (with the European Commission)."

Putin added that Greece had not asked Moscow for financial assistance.

"Of course Russia has the opportunity to help its partners despite any difficulties that Russia's economy is going through today."

But "Mr Tsipras has not turned to us for any aid," Putin added.

"The issue is not even about money. The issue is about the principles of economic development and problem-solving with one's partners in the near future."

Greece's left-wing leadership had appeared to move closer to Moscow in recent months as the spat with its creditors grew uglier.

Tsipras has visited Russia twice since April and overseen the inking of a preliminary agreement to build a 2-billion-euro ($2.2 billion) gas pipeline to Greece.