Russia Supports Iran .... But Only To A Certain Point

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Russian President Vladimir Putin (Reuters/Raheb Homavandi)

Russian Nuclear Support For Iran Limited By Distrust -- Christian Science Monitor

Russia has trained hundreds of Iranian nuclear scientists and blocked international action against Tehran. But beneath the surface, there is profound distrust.

Russia built Iran's first nuclear power plant, once sold Tehran sophisticated weaponry, and refuses to back further international sanctions over Iran's controversial nuclear program, but this apparent coziness belies years of suspicion and growing distance between the two nuclear powers.

Despite the fact that Russia is training hundreds of nuclear scientists to operate the Bushehr plant, Russian analysts say that Moscow has contributed little to Iran's recent strides in uranium enrichment and nuclear technology.

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My Comment: Russia's support of Gaddafi was a disaster. It's support of the Assad regime is Syria is an even greater disaster. It's support of Iran has the potential to be the biggest disaster of them all. Why Russia is following such a foreign policy .... your guess is as good as mine.

Russia Returns Iran's Deposit For S-300 Missile Defense System

S-300 missiles. © RIA Novosti. Mikhail Fomichev

Russia To Return $166.8 Million Prepayment To Iran For S-300 Missile Defense System -- RIA Novosti

Russia owes Tehran only the prepayment of $166.8 million for S-300 air defense missile systems, Rostekhnologii head Sergei Chemezov said on Thursday.

The contract to supply Iran with the missile system, one of most effective in existence, was signed at the end of 2007. Russia was to supply five divisions' worth of S-300PMU-1 for $800 million. Russia canceled the contract to supply Tehran with S-300 air defense missile systems because of UN sanctions against the Islamic Republic.

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More News On Russian - Iran Relations After The S-300 Fiasco

Russia to repay Iran for cancelled missile order -- BBC
Russia to Refund Iran for Canceled Missile Deal -- Voice of America
Russia to refund Iran for cancelled S-300 sale -- Politico
Russia to reimburse Iran for nixed missile pact -- CNN
Russia to refund Iran 'over missile deal' -- AFP
Russia to return $166.8m to Iran for shelved missile deal -- Haaretz

No Russian S-300 Missile Sale To Iran

Image: S-300 surface-to-air missiles. Photo from Radio Free Europe

Russia Prohibiting Weapons Sales To Iran -- CNN

Moscow, Russia (CNN) -- Russia blocked weapons sales to Iran on Wednesday because of U.N. sanctions against the Islamic republic.

President Dmitry Medvedev signed a decree that prohibits "the transit across Russia, including by air, the removal from Russia to Iran, and the transfer to Iran outside Russia of any combat tanks, armored personnel carriers, large-caliber artillery systems, warplanes, attack helicopters, military vessels, missiles or missile systems as defined by the United Nations Register of Conventional Arms, S-300 surface-to-air missile systems, or materiel and spare parts used for all of the above."

The decree was published on the Kremlin website.

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More News On Russia Canceling It's S-300 Missile Sale To Iran

Russia's Medvedev Bans Arms Sales to Iran in Compliance With UN Sanctions -- Bloomberg
Russia rules out supplying missiles to Iran -- The Telegraph
Kremlin bans sale of S-300 missile systems to Iran -- BBC
Russia Drops Plans for Iran Missile Deal -- Voice of America
Russia bans sales of anti-aircraft systems to Iran -- AP
Russia bans delivery of S-300 missiles to Iran -- Reuters

Russian - Iranian Relations Are Starting To Show Strains

Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki. © RIA Novosti

The 'Unravelling Relationship' Between Russia And Iran -- BBC

Russia and Iran seemed to be good friends, but in recent weeks the relationship has unravelled.

Since 1991, Russia has been a major supplier of modern arms to Iran.

The Russian-built nuclear power plant in the southern Iranian city of Bushehr is due to finally come on line this year.

In advance, Russia has shipped more than 100 tonnes of low-enriched uranium reactor fuel rods to Bushehr.

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More News On Russian - Iranian Relations

Iran says Medvedev's nuke remarks 'divorced from reality' -- RIA Novosti
Russia attacks Iran's verbal assault on Medvedev -- Reuters
Russia says Iran's criticism of Moscow's support for UN sanctions "unacceptable" -- FOX News
Sanctions Vote Strains Russia-Iran Relations -- New York Times
Russia turns on 'irresponsible Iran' -- Jerusalem Post

Russia Suspends S-300 Air Defense Missile Sale To Iran

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin (right) and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meet in Moscow Tuesday. Alexei Nikolsky/RIA Novosti/Reuters

Russia Suspends Iran Arms Sale Following Israeli PM's Visit To Moscow -- Christian Science Monitor

Russia decided to delay the delivery of S-300 air defense missiles to Iran a day after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin in Moscow. The delay is expected to further strain relations between Moscow and Tehran.

Russia on Wednesday delayed the delivery of S-300 air defense missiles to Iran, citing unspecified technical problems. The announcement comes a day after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin in Moscow to urge Russia to take tougher action against Iran’s nuclear program. The delay is expected to further strain relations between Moscow and Tehran.

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More News On Russia's S-300 Air Defense Sale To Iran

Russia: S-300 delivery delayed -- Jerusalem Post
Russia delays missile delivery to Iran -- AFP
Russia: Iran arms deal delayed due to technical problems -- Ynet News
Russia says missile delivery to Iran delayed for technical reasons -- Xinhuanet

My Comment: The "sale of the S-300 air defense system is delayed due to technical reasons". Hmmmm .... no one is buying that cover story.

Is Russia Playing Both Sides In Iran Nukes?

Russia's President Dmitry Medvedev speaks with German journalists Sunday at the Gorki residence outside Moscow. Sanctions against Iran should not be ruled out if it fails to agree to restrictions on its nuclear program, Medvedev told the German weekly magazine Der Spiegel. Mikhail Klimentyev/REUTERS

From Christian Science Monitor:

Russia signals that it is open to tougher sanctions on Iran, which has failed to respond to an international uranium deal. But rogue scientists in Russia may be continuing to help Iran pursue a nuclear program.

Washington - Iran's failure to respond to an international offer to enrich much of its uranium stockpile outside the country – for use in a Tehran medical research facility – is again raising the prospect of tougher sanctions.

Much of the focus of the sanctions debate is falling on Russia, which has blown hot and cold on additional punitive measures on Iran over its nuclear program – but which is sounding open to the idea once again. The attention is reviving lingering questions about Russian assistance – either official or unauthorized – to Iran's nuclear program and weapons research.

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My Comment: Russian reaction to Iran's nuclear program has been perplexing at times. It appears that they are doing this for their own personal interests .... or they are in denial on what is Iran's true intentions. Either way .... Iran is taking advantage of the situation to continue pursuing their program with the confidence that any meaningful sanctions will be vetoed by Russia.

Russian - Iranian Relations Are Not As Friendly As Some Would Like To Believe

Top Iranian nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili (R) and
Deputy Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov meet in Tehran.

Russia-Iran Relations Balancing on Nuclear Issue -- Voice of America

A senior Iranian lawmaker has warned Russia that continuing to delay the delivery of a missile-defense system to Iran will harm relations between the two countries. The comments were made as Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov was scheduled to visit Tehran.

The head of the Iranian parliament's national security committee, Alaedin Borujurdi, is warning Russia that any further delay in fulfilling a contract to sell an anti-aircraft missile-defense system to Tehran would "seriously damage" relations between the countries.

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More News On Russia - Iran Relations

Iran Warns Russia Over Missile Delay -- FOX News
Russia must keep promise to supply missiles: Iran -- Reuters
Russia not ruling out Iran sanctions -- Dallas News
Medvedev Says Russia May Back Sanctions on Iran if Deal Falls Apart -- New York Times
Iran hails 'strategic cooperation' with Russia -- Press T

Russia Not Supplying Air Defense Systems To Iran

From Defense Talk:

MOSCOW: Russia is not currently implementing its planned sale of sophisticated S-300 air defence systems to Iran, a top official with the state office for arms sales told Interfax.

"Nothing is happening. Supplies are not taking place," said Alexander Fomin, deputy head of the Federal Service for Arms Cooperation, at an arms fair in Rio De Janeiro.

Russia's plans to provide the systems to Iran have attracted criticism from the United States and Israel, neither of which have ruled out attacks on Iran's controversial atomic facilities.

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My Comment: This is good news .... if true.

Russia May Scrap Iran Missile Delivery: Report

Russia's S-300 air defence system on display at a 2001 military parade in Kiev. Russia may shelve the delivery of its advanced missile system to Iran, amid mounting tensions between Tehran and the West. (AFP/Pool/File/null)

From Yahoo News/AFP:

MOSCOW (AFP) – Russia may shelve the delivery of its advanced S-300 air defence missile system to Iran, the Interfax news agency reported on Tuesday, amid mounting tensions between Tehran and the West.

"Such a possibility is not excluded. The question must be decided at a political level, especially as the contract was worked out on a purely commercial basis," the unnamed source told the news agency.

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