Russian President Vladimir Putin promised on Thursday new nuclear weapons as part of Moscow`s military build-up, saying the experience of Iraq showed the need for resource-rich countries to keep strong defenses. In a televised question-and-answer session with Russian citizens ahead of elections in December, Putin also told the United States to set a date for withdrawing all its troops from Iraq and warned Washington against using force in Iran. "Thank God Russia is not Iraq," Putin told a questioner who asked about supposed U.S. intentions to gain control of Siberia`s vast natural resources. "It is strong enough to protect its interests within the national territory and, by the way, in other regions of the world." "... What we are doing to increase our defense capability is the correct choice and we will continue to do that," he added. Answering a question from a soldier based at the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in the far north, where troops test-fired a long-range missile earlier in the day, Putin promised new nuclear weapons technology as part of important defense plans. "We will develop missile technology including completely new strategic (nuclear) come plexes, completely new," he said. "Work is continuing and continuing successfully." "We will not only give attention to the whole nuclear triad -- strategic rocket forces, strategic aviation and the nuclear submarine fleet -- but also other types of weapons". Putin, who faces parliamentary elections in December, hailed Russia`s continued strong economic growth and rising living standards during exchanges with questioners connected live from different Russian cities. He admitted that inflation, which at 8.5 percent in the year to date has exceeded the government`s target for the whole year, was a problem but blamed global economic factors such as cuts in European agricultural subsidies and demand for biofuels. Putin also claimed that Russia`s demographic crisis was easing, with the birthrate reaching a 15-year high and the death rate falling to its lowest level since 1999.