Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. -AP Photo

MOSCOW: Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin on Friday accused the West of attempting to institute “regime change” in Iran as it mulls possible military action over Tehran’s controversial nuclear programme.

“Under the guise of trying to prevent the spread of weapons of mass destruction… they are attempting something else entirely and setting different goals — regime change,” news agencies quoted Putin as saying.

“We have such suspicions,” said Putin. “And we are trying to take a stand that differs from the one they are trying to force on us… concerning the ways that the Iranian nuclear problem might develop.”

Russia has longstanding commercial and military ties with Iran and has condemned recent unilateral sanctions imposed by the United States and the European Union over its suspected pursuit of nuclear arms.

The United States and its chief regional ally Israel have never ruled out a strike against Iran over its suspected nuclear weapons development but Russia has always insisted the standoff can only be solved through diplomacy.