Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that a deal to end the fighting between Israel and Iran was possible, and that Israel’s strikes on Iran had led to a “consolidation” of Iranian society around its leadership, AFP reports.

He added that he did “not even wish to discuss” the idea Israel might assassinate Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

“We see that today in Iran there is a consolidation of society around the country’s political leadership,” Putin told foreign journalists, including AFP, at a televised event.

“This is a delicate issue, and of course we need to be very careful here, but in my opinion, a solution can be found,” he added.

Putin said such an agreement could guarantee both Israel’s security and Iran’s desire for a civilian nuclear programme. “I believe it would be good for all of us together to look for ways to stop the fighting and seek ways for the participants in the conflict to find an agreement,” he said.

Putin said there were more than 200 Russian employees at the Bushehr nuclear power plant in southern Iran which was built by Russia’s Rosatom. “We agreed with the leadership of Israel that their security would be ensured,” he said.

He said Russia could “continue” to work with Iran on its civilian nuclear programme and “ensure their interests in this sphere”.