much in common, but the latter would not welcome a new military threat
Russian-Iranian relations are going
through a difficult period due to the numerous problems plaguing Tehran.
Ties began to deteriorate when Russia changed its stance on Iran’s
nuclear programme in September, 2009.
This was when Russian President Dmitry Medvedev gave the first hint
that Russia was prepared to perform a significant policy U-turn and
support the US push for sanctions against Iran.
This change of heart came after reports that Iran was secretly
setting up an uranium enrichment plant in the city of Qom, without
having alerted the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Tehran’s announcement in February that it had started enriching
uranium to 20 per cent was the straw that broke the camel’s back.
Russia consequently made the transition from a position of
uncertainty with regards to Iran’s intentions to siding with the US and
its western allies, who were calling for a fourth round of sanctions
against Iran.
As a consequence, Moscow decided to halt the delivery of powerful
S-300 air-defence missiles to Iran, citing the new UN sanctions on the
Islamic Republic. Russia also alerted its political, diplomatic and
military divisions of its new stance regarding Iran, thereby doubling
the pressure on Tehran to abandon its controversial… >>>
