Sunday
Jul252010
Ahmedinejad is Angry about Russian Compliance with Sanctions.
Sunday, July 25, 2010 at 2:24PM The American corporations had been signing a lot of deals with the Russians recently. This may be the reason why Russia went along with the sanctions against Iran. Openness of the current presidential administration towards Russia, seems to have played a significant role as well. Interestingly, a NATO country, Turkey was against the sanctions. In their case, I would say, the reasons are again economic and to an extent also geopolitical.
Reader Comments (10)
I think that Daniel Larison's critiques of the Obama administration's "openness" to Russia is pretty solid. There was some initial talk, and nothing practical done. Bush & Putin got off to a lot better start, but the State Dep't is what it is, and we were both back to our old tricks, soon enough. Russia did this for her own reasons.
I think Russia's real interests here are in regional control. They can't have a strong, assertive, nuclear Iran on the borders of their sphere of influence in the Caspian Sea region. This would make them largely immune to direct military intervention, and that's not really a desired outcome. They have even less desire to see the US intervene in their backyard yet again, though, so sanctions also serve as "war insurance". (To those who say a US victory in an Iran campaign is impossible, that isn't the point when it comes to whether or not the Russians would like to see a US–led intervention.)
It's a balancing act to try to simultaneously be on good terms with the US, Israel and Iran.
A few years back, I remember someone in Russian media telling me that Russia will end up doing something that would tick noticeably off Iran.
Noticeably tick off.
Long day.
Sleep.
@ Plethon
I am not sure if sanctions can serve as a guarantee against possible American intervention. I think the only guarantee, and the reasons why Iran was not yet attacked, have to do with counting the costs. It is not that Americans cannot win in such a confrontation, but more about costly victory.
The only problem that Russia faces from a successful American intervention against Iran, is the potential success of such intervention. However, in the short term, the only outcome of this would most likely be, rise in the prices of oil. This will only make Russian modernisation more financed, and as things look now, the Russians would be on good terms with the Americans, buying vital technologies. Of course, the potential failure of American intervention would likely mean getting rid of one of the players in the game for regional domination and serious weakening of the other.
Robert Gates reporting to the US senate on Iran I think summed up Russia's position best when he said Russia’s position is Schizophrenic on one hand Russia wants to be at the forefront and help develop Iran’s oil and gas development securing lucrative contracts worth billions while on the hand fully aware of Iran’s support of supporting Muslim lead anti-Russia interests since 79 in Afghanistan and after the collapse of the USSR in Bosnia, Central Asia, Chechnya and the North Caucasus.
Bosnia yes.
Caucasus?
Of the impression that the Muslim foreign anti-Russian activity there has been the work of some folks in Turkey and some Arab countries.
Some have said that Russia is motivated to not be so hard on Iran, on account of Iran purportedly not being so involved in the Caucasus.
Offhand, I don't believe that Iran supports Kosovo's independence.
Just released:
http://rt.com/Top_News/2010-07-27/russia-critical-eu-sanctions.html
http://rt.com/Politics/2010-07-27/roar-russia-west-iran.html?fullstory
Diplomatic dancing for the interests of the one doing the dancing.
@Misha
Iran does or at least did until about 2004 at a senior level support Chechen jihadists and I will post the links later.
I am not sure that US did not help overthrow and install the Iranian regime.
For a supposedly anti-US regime they seem to support jihadist movement that directly benefit the US which so happens starting with the covert support of Jihadist 6 months prior to Soviet invasion of 79 which Iran was at the forefront of supporting which just so happened the toppling of the Iranian Shah who like other nationalist Arab states was starting to seek relations with the USSR happened in the same year.
jack
I'm interersted in well established info. linking Iranian government support for Muslim extremists in Russia.
Like I said, my impression has been that such support has come from elements within some Arab countries and Turkey.
I would also like to read something on Iran supplying the North Caucasians.