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Iran and Russia: Uneasy Relations, Easy Business

Global Arab Network - Gerlinde Gerber

Monday, 04 April 2011 13:36

http://www.english.globalarabnetwork.com/images/stories/2010/Jan/nuclear_iran.jpg

Russia, which built Iran's first nuclear power plant, has generally been an ally of Iran. However, their relationship has always been characterized by mutual distrust.

Russia has repeatedly said that it does not want Iran to obtain nuclear weapons and the two countries clashed last year after Moscow adopted a tougher stance toward the Islamic Republic's nuclear drive and backed UN sanctions against Tehran.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad reacted strongly in a July 2010 speech, saying Moscow was "playing a scenario written and directed by the US". He suggested that Russian leaders were "liars and cowards".

Also last year, Russia cancelled the sale of S-300 anti-aircraft missile systems to Iran much to the consternation of the Islamic regime.

Nuclear issue

Russia built Iran's first nuclear plant at Bushehr.

However, the inauguration of the plant has been delayed for years owing to Russian foot-dragging, apparently in an effort to allay international concerns over Tehran's nuclear drive.

Iranian officials, for their part, have recently threatened that Tehran will take legal action against Moscow through international bodies over the repeated delays.

"If Russia continues to delay the inauguration of Bushehr nuclear power plant, the Iranian Parliament will definitely table a motion to demand compensation from Moscow," the deputy head of the Parliament Energy Commission, Abdollah Kaabi, said earlier this month.

While publicly supporting Iran's right to peaceful nuclear technology, Russia last year recognized that Tehran might be moving towards a nuclear weapon.

"Iran is moving closer to possessing the potential which in principle could be used for the creation of nuclear weapons," Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said in July.

He emphasized that Russia could not be "indifferent to how it is developing its nuclear program" and "how the military components of this program look like".

"Iran should face up to beginning full-scale cooperation with the international community, even though it might not like some questions it is being asked."

Some analysts argue that Russia's capacity to provide technical help for the Iranian nuclear drive gives Moscow an unmatched leverage in Tehran.

But others claim that Moscow's influence on Tehran is very limited when it comes to curtailing its nuclear weapons aspirations.

"It's a misconception to assume that the Russians have any more leverage than anyone else beginning with the United States over Iran and its nuclear program," said Robert Legvold of Columbia University.

Sanctions

In June 2010, Russia voted in favor of Resolution 1929, which imposed new sanctions on Iran.

But Moscow opposed additional sanctions imposed by the EU and the US.

"We have repeatedly said that we consider unacceptable the practice of using unilateral or collective sanctions on Iran, which are not consistent with the UN Security Council's sanctions," Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Andrei Nesterenko said in July 2010.

According to the BBC, "Moscow has earned billions, helping Iran bypass US and EU sanctions".

Military ties

For the past twenty years, Russia has been a major supplier of modern arms to Iran.

In 2007, Russia signed a contract to deliver sophisticated S-300 anti-aircraft missile systems to Iran.

Despite criticism, Moscow repeatedly insisted that the $800 million deal would go ahead as planned.

In 2010, however, Russia announced that it would not deliver the air defense systems due to UN Security Council sanctions.

But a top Russian arms export official said last month that Russia would explore ways to bolster its military cooperation with Iran despite UN restrictions.

Mikhail Dmitriyev, the head of the Federal Military-Technical Cooperation Service, said that the fourth round of sanctions that the UN slapped on Iran in June hurt Russia's defense industry. "But there are lines that we can pursue," he said. "We will continue negotiating with Iran within the framework of these possibilities."

Economic ties

Russian oil and gas majors Gazprom and LUKOIL have signed billions of dollars' worth of deals to help Iran develop its oil and gas fields but most projects are on hold because of sanctions.

However, in July 2010 Russian and Iranian energy ministers signed a "road map" designed to enhance long-term energy cooperation between the two countries.

Aiming to soothe Tehran's worries after Moscow had backed UN sanctions against Iran the month before, Russian Energy Minister Sergei Shmatko said: "Sanctions will not hinder us in our joint cooperation".

The program also appeared to invite Russian companies to contravene sanctions the US adopted two weeks before.

Russia and Iran have ties in non-energy sectors of the economy as well, including agriculture and telecommunications.

The volume of trade between the two countries stood at about $3 billion in 2009. Russian exports -- mostly ferrous metals, cars and arms -- made up 93 percent of the bilateral trade that year.

[Realite-EU]

References:
[1] "'Iran nearing nuclear bombs' Russia warns", BBC, July 12, 2010, http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10600100

[2] "Iran main strategic partner of Russia: Russian official", IRNA, February 16, 2011, http://www.irna.ir/ENNewsShow.aspx?NID=30250670

[3] "'Iran nearing nuclear bombs' Russia warns", BBC, July 12, 2010, http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10600100

[4] "Ahmadinejad: Russia Playing Washington's Scenario on Iran", Fars, July 24, 2010, http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.php?nn=8905020931

[5] "Russia cancels S-300 deal with Iran", Pravda, September 22, 2010, http://english.pravda.ru/russia/kremlin/22-09-2010/
115034-russia_iran_s300-0/

[6] "Russia to finish Iran nuclear plant but won't deliver missiles", August 13, 2010, The Christian Science Monitor, http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Europe/2010/0813/Russia-to-finish-Iran-nuclear-plant-but-won-t-deliver-missiles

[7] "Iran MP slams Russia over Bushehr plant", Press TV, March 6, 2011, http://www.presstv.ir/detail/168439.html

[8] "'Iran nearing nuclear bombs' Russia warns", BBC, July 12, 2010, http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10600100

[9] "Russia awaits explanations from Iran on nuclear program," Xinhua, July 15, 2010, http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/world/2010-07/15/c_111958651.htm

[10] "Obama bids for Russian help on Iran", AFP, November 14, 2009, http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/
ALeqM5jB1iIeTXKscLXBWrVrae-fRTaU0g

[11] "Analysts Say Iran-Russia Relations Worsening", VOA, June 25, 2010, http://www.voanews.com/english/news/europe/Analysts-Say-Iran-Russia-Relations-Worsening--97172974.html

[12] Resolution 1929, http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2010/sc9948.doc.htm

[13] "U.S., EU sanctions on Iran disregard work in Iran Six - Russian Foreign Ministry", RIA Novosti, July 27, 2010, http://en.rian.ru/world/20100727/159965614.html

[14] "The 'unravelling relationship' between Russia and Iran", BBC, July 24, 2010, http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-10684110

[15] Ibid.

[16] "Russia cancels S-300 deal with Iran", Pravda, September 22, 2010, http://english.pravda.ru/russia/kremlin/22-09-2010/
115034-russia_iran_s300-0/

[17] Ibid.

[18] "Russia planning new arms sales to Iran despite sanctions", AFP, February 24, 2011, http://www.myfoxboston.com/dpp/news/international/russia-planning-new-arms-sales-to-iran-despite-sanctions-25-apx-20110224

[19] "Russia seeks to soothe Iran with energy pact", Reuters, July 14, 2010, http://in.reuters.com/article/idINIndia-50113420100714?loomia_ow=t0:s0:a54:g12:r2:c0.603489:b35646074:z3

[20] Ibid.

[21] "Russia Plan to Help Iran Challenges Sanctions", The New York Times, July 14, 2010, http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/15/world/europe/15russia.html

[22] "Iran non-oil exports to Russia quintuple in decade: official", Tehran Times, June 2, 2009, http://www.tehrantimes.com/index_View.asp?code=195943

[23] "FACTBOX-Russia's relations with Iran", Reuters, May 26, 2010, http://www.reuters.com/article/2010/05/26/iran-nuclear-ahmadinejad-idUSLDE64P10N20100526

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