Putin appeases Tehran
A change in Russia's position - which would be reflected in exerting diplomatic pressure on Iran and supporting further sanctions - would contribute to Tehran?s effective isolation, and could also persuade Iran?s leaders to abandon the nuclear program.
Haaretz EditorialRussian President Vladimir Putin landed in Iran yesterday to take part in the summit of Caspian Sea countries. Thus Putin became the first Kremlin leader to visit Iran since Joseph Stalin attended the Tehran Conference in 1943.
In a direct reference to Iran's nuclear program, Putin said that "the Iranians are cooperating with Russia's nuclear agencies, and the main objectives are peaceful objectives."
Before his arrival, Putin ruled out military action against Iran, saying "we were patient and consistently looked for solutions, and it looks like we are finding them."
Russia and China have for too long been able to stall UN moves toward tougher sanctions on Iran. Aside from them, the international community is by and large united against any Iranian effort to acquire nuclear weapons.
United States Secretary of Defense Robert Gates said on Monday that all possibilities for solving the crisis with Iran are still on the agenda, and he also called for an increase in international pressure on Tehran. One month ago, French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said the world must prepare for a possible war against Iran. London and Berlin have also come out with sharp statements against the continued development of Iran's nuclear program.
Despite the hard line presented by the U.S. and European states, Russia continues its calm talks with Iran - after meeting his Iranian counterpart Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Putin met with Iran's spiritual leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Last week Putin again said there is no proof Iran wants nuclear weapons. This contradicts the insistence of American, Israeli and other Western intelligence services. Last weekend U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Iranian policy is definitely "vigorous progress toward nuclear weapons."
A change in Russia's position - which would be reflected in exerting diplomatic pressure on Iran and supporting further sanctions - would contribute to Tehran's effective isolation, and could also persuade Iran's leaders to abandon the nuclear program. Russia has suspended the construction of the nuclear reactor in Bushehr, claiming belated payments from Iran, but only yesterday closed a deal with Tehran to sell 50 jet engines to Iran's air force. Ahmadinejad commended the cooperation with Russia, calling it "Iran's ally" in an interview with the Russian news agency.
As a state wishing to regain a significant international role and wield influence on Israeli public opinion, Russia must present an unequivocal position against the Iranian nuclear program, and add its weight to the campaign pressuring Iran to respond to the international community's demands.
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...Signs reading "Police For Peace" on the 2 mio people New York JUNE 12, 1982 demonstration in front of the UN for nuclear disarmament!! "It's like w/ normal weapons. If there are NONE in a household, well, a couple's row at the utmost will mean his waking up one morning w/ a paperslip between his toes "You have to get up at 5 a.m. today" as they're not speaking w/ each other any more. AS IT IS, Monday morning there'll be five corpses in the house when the police is called." Only one listener stays, he's not in uniform. "Oh, you don't know HOW RIGHT you are. I'm a policeman. I'll tell my colleagues this!" He was there before the UN too that day... NO COUNTRY SHOULD HAVE NUCLEAR WEAPONS. And: You cannot expect others not to have them when you've got them. ALL must disarm! (Also bcs of the risk of nuclear war by ERROR - so often "it" already nearly happened!)
Iran also wants to reclaim its former Persian and Parthian Empire entities. My opinion.
It wasn't Stalin only! First I'd like you Zionist to know that I feel your pain of having Iran upstage your pathetic efforts to "isolate" it. Second, Putin did not "appease" Iran. The meeting in Iran was a very significant and historic meeting of the heads of the state around the Caspian See to determine the legal and political modes to govern the exploration and mining of its natural resources. Iran is a huge strategic ally for Russia and unlike Israel that costs the American taxpayers several billion dollars a year, Iran actually contributes to Russia's coffers. Iran is not invading anyone's land, it is not terrorizing civilians every day and it sure is not grabbing anyone's land because "god" gave it the right to do so. So Haaretz may say "appeasement" or whatever it likes. The fact is Iran is in not hated and despised by as many people as Israel and its Apartheid regime are, even by the ordinary people in the US.
I respect every ones opinion because every one has a right to have one but what bothers me a lot is the confidence with which we predict about the intentions of others. May be your analyses of Iran's intentions is correct but if you shed the bias created as a result of international propaganda against iran and analyse it accross the community of nations specially USA, based on facts, you dont see any reason why we should expect iran to be attacking all the world if they get nuclear weapons. iraq started the iran iraq war not iran. rest of the world, by joining iraq initiated war against iran and it was not the other way round. iran never attacked any country while US and even other civilized nations such as france uk etc have a history of attacking other nations, making colonies, exploiting resources. we have the nuclear weapons not iran. we attacked iran(through iraq), Afganistan, iraq, cuba and scores of other sovereign states. i am surprised how media tends to twist public opinion
The main thing that Iran wants from Russia is that they finish the nuclear power plant project and ship the fuel. Russia has placed these items on hold and has not agreed to any timetable. This is hardly "appeasement".
Pact with Nazi,Germany. So Putin thinks to enhance Russia business interests with Iran. In short terms Rusia will gain some benefits like Satlins Soviet Union gained parts of Poland and Baltic States. Within 2 years Hitkers Wehrmacht attacked Soviet Union and millions of Soviet citizen died before The Soviets and Allied Forces crushed the Nazi Germany. Parts of Sovite Union was in ruins. When Iran gets nuclear weapons the countries it will attack are oil producing statea like Kazhakhstan, Azerbejan in addition to Suni Gulf Sates, Iraq, Saudi Arabia. By controlling Crude oil resources Iran would be enriched and capable to blackmail the Western World. Israel is only a small detail in Irans plans.
No explanation required.