[kAcknor]

I can't see what Iran has to offer Russia.

In a word: Schadenfreude

There is a generation in Russia still hurting over the loss of the cold war. Anything that makes us look bad, or hurts or interferes with our goals, is OK with them. Preferred actually.

[zarf]

There is a generation in Russia still hurting over the loss of the cold war.

I agree. I don't think that Putin is necessarily calling the shots in this situation.