MOSCOW, June 25 (Xinhuanet) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin told Iran's president-elect Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Saturday that Russia will continue its cooperation with Iran on nuclear energy while complying with its nonproliferation commitments on nuclear weapons.

    In a congratulatory message to Ahmadinejad on his election as the new president of Iran, Putin expressed confidence that Ahmadinejad will "maintain continuity in the development of long-term and multi-faceted partnership and cooperation between our two states," the Kremlin press service said.

    "The construction of a nuclear power plant in Bushehr is nearing completion, and we are prepared to continue cooperation with Iran in the nuclear energy sector while taking into account our international obligations in nonproliferation," Putin said.

    Putin said Russia will also work with Iran in finding a "mutually acceptable political solution of the existing problems," Putin said, apparently referring to the controversy over Iran's nuclear program.

    Being built with Russian help, the Bushehr plant is designed togenerate 1,000 megawatts of electricity. Moscow and Tehran signed a fuel supply deal earlier this year, paving the way for the plantto start up in late 2006.

    Conservative Ahmadinejad defeated his rival, former president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, in Friday's presidential run-off to become Iran's next president. Enditem