In an editorial, the Iranian reformist daily Aftab-e Yazd criticized Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for not meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the August 16 Shanghai Alliance conference in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.

The paper noted that Ahmadinejad had thus missed his last chance to influence Russia's stance before the resumption of U.N. Security Council talks on Iran's nuclear dossier.

Source: Aftab-e Yazd, Iran, August 18, 2007