http://www.irishexaminer.com/breaking/email/printer.asp?j=190243702&p=y9xz444x8&n=190244462&x=Irish ExaminerPutin and Ahmadinejad hold discussion26/07/2006 - 11:12:01President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad havediscussed the Lebanon crisis and tensions over Iran's nuclear programme, theKremlin said.The two leaders spoke by telephone yesterday, a brief statement said.Ahmadinejad arrived yesterday in the former Soviet republic of Tajikistanfor a two-day visit.Iran initiated the call, the statement said, but gave no other details otherthan to say that Putin laid out the principal positions of the Russian side.Russia has cultivated close relations with Iran, but has shown few overtsigns of being able to influence Ahmadinejad's government either on theMiddle East - where Iran is one of the main supporters of the radical groupHezbollah - or on the nuclear issue.Ahmadinejad warned yesterday that the conflict between Lebanon and Israelcould trigger "a hurricane" of broader fighting in the Middle East."All issues of international security must be resolved through dialogue,because force does not bring a solution," the Iranian leader said."All outstanding issues must be solved by just means, taking intoconsideration cultural issues and religious beliefs. Lebanon is a sovereignnation with its own religion and culture. The use of force will onlyexacerbate the situation."Russia has tried to defuse tensions over Iran's nuclear programme with aproposal that all enriched uranium used by Iran come from Russia - whichwould allow control of whether the uranium was enriched to weapons-grade.Iran has not overtly rejected the proposal, but has not accepted it.Iran's holding the proposal at arms' length has been a frustration toRussia, which has sought to use its close political and commercial contactswith Iran as a lever of influence.The Bushehr nuclear plant that is at the centre of the controversy overwhether Iran intends to build nuclear weapons is Russian-built.Russia, as UN Security Council member with veto power, has resisted Westernproposals to slap Iran with sanctions but diplomats yesterday said theUnited States and key European nations are moving closer to agreement withRussia on a resolution that would give Iran about a month to suspend uraniumenrichment or face economic and diplomatic sanctions.Russia also has stepped up efforts in recent months to exert influence inthe Middle East, including contacts with Hamas after the militant group wonPalestinian elections.It hosted a high-level Hamas delegation at Putin's invitation in March, whenMoscow broke ranks with other members of the so-called Quartet of Mideastnegotiators but failed to persuade the militant group to soften itsanti-Israel stance and renounce its goal to seek Israel's destruction.Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov said this month that Russia was using itscontacts with radical Muslims, including Hamas, to try to promote aresolution of the escalating confrontation.