WIESBADEN, Germany — Russian President Vladimir Putin insisted today that he would travel to Iran despite reports about a possible assassination attempt, saying if he paid attention to all the threats against him "I would never leave home."

Russia's Interfax news agency, citing a source in Russia's intelligence services, said Sunday that suicide terrorists had been trained to carry out the assassination in Iran. The Kremlin said Putin was informed about the threat.

But the Russian president said his trip was planned long in advance and that he would talk with Iranian leaders about their disputed nuclear program, although he stressed the original purpose of the trip was to discuss issues affecting states bordering on the Caspian Sea.

Iranian officials have rejected reports about the plot as disinformation spread by adversaries hoping to spoil Russian-Iranian relations.

Putin underlined the need to solve the nuclear problem "through peaceful measures," adding that it was important to make direct contact with Tehran whenever the chance presented itself.

Russia, which is building Iran's first nuclear plant, has resisted the U.S. push for stronger sanctions against Tehran and strongly warned Washington against using force. But it has urged Iran to comply with international controls on its nuclear activities and dragged its feet on the plant's completion.

Putin's Tehran trip repeatedly has been postponed, as has the launch of the nuclear plant.

Russia warned early this year that the plant in the southern port of Bushehr wouldn't be launched this fall as planned because Iran was slow in making payments. It has also delayed the shipment of uranium fuel for the plant.

Iranian officials have angrily denied any payment arrears and accused the Kremlin of caving in to Western pressure.

During his visit to Iran, Putin is to meet with President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and attend Tuesday's summit of Caspian Sea nations. He is the first Kremlin leader to travel to Iran since Josef Stalin attended the 1943 wartime summit with Winston Churchill and Franklin D. Roosevelt.