Posted on 11/15/2022 3:52:24 PM PST by MeganC
(Subtitle) Isolated and embattled, Russia and Iran are increasingly cooperative.
Russia once viewed the G-20 group of leading economies as the world’s key cooperative forum. No longer. The November 15-16 meeting in Bali will not be attended by Vladimir Putin and there is therefore little chance that his isolation will be illustrated through face-to-face condemnations from Western leaders.
That’s not to say that Russia has no friends, just that it has fewer than before its all-out war on Ukraine began in February. North Korea, for example, has reportedly drawn closer to the Kremlin through supplies of military equipment to aid its war of aggression. And Iran, a more significant power, now enjoys a detectably stronger relationship with Russia, with serious implications for the Middle East, nuclear non-proliferation, and sanctions evasion.
The sight of Iranian suicide drones striking civilian infrastructure in Ukraine and the mooted arrival of Iranian ballistic missiles to bolster Russia’s unprovoked war on a European neighbor meanwhile shows how the Kremlin benefits (and Tehran’s indifference to reputational damage.)
The warming of relations comes after decades, if not centuries of mistrust. This mutual hesitancy has been a hallmark of bilateral ties, with a sense of incompleteness always haunted their much-vaunted cooperation. Russia’s aggression in Ukraine and most of all its failure to produce a quick victory presented Iran with significant opportunities to exploit Russia’s weaknesses, and to push Putin’s regime to agree to more extensive cooperation in the economic and military realms. Iran’s nuclear ambitions likewise.
Before the war in Ukraine, Russia’s involvement in Iran’s revived talks on restoring the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) designed to end Tehran’s ability to build nuclear weapons, were characterized by the US and its allies as fairly positive. On several occasions, the Kremlin pressured Iran to stay in line and abstain from making further moves toward acquiring nuclear weapons, and so kill any scant hopes of restoring the nuclear agreement.
Russian calculus was clear — it opposed the proliferation of nuclear weapons in the Middle East, a region already beset with instability. Iran and Russia have long cooperated on numerous issues from the South Caucasus to the Caspian Sea, but the Islamic regime’s nature — its tradition of financing and helping to direct a variety of foreign militias — and its willingness to arm the enemies of its enemies, made it risky to assist its quest for nuclear technology.
The war in Ukraine may be changing all these calculations, and there’s a growing body of evidence suggesting this is already happening. First, since the first days of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine when Western resolve to oppose Russia became evident, the Kremlin resorted to blackmail, threatening to scupper the JCPOA negotiations in Vienna. In June, when the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) supported a resolution demanding Iran’s cooperation with the UN, Russia voted against it. It also stayed silent when Iran switched off several IAEA cameras at the nuclear sites.
Russia’s game is clear. It cares deeply about its war against Ukraine and is effectively asking the West how much it cares about Iran’s nuclear program. This potential geopolitical horse-trading fits with Putin’s approach to foreign affairs, but takes little account of the US-led approach. So far the West has resisted, but Russia knows that the clock is ticking — Iran is getting dangerously close to the famous breakout moment when it will be impossible to reverse its progress toward nuclear weapons.
Turkey, China, India, Brazil, Saudi Arabia, and half of Africa.
All have rolled their eyes at US and the EU, and are doing business. They saw the sanctions war and realized any of them could be next.
Turkey, China, India, Brazil, Saudi Arabia, and half of Africa.
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Put in perspective, almost 70 percent of the world’s population. One must realize the immorality of the West has reached a tipping point.From gay marriage to boys in girls bathrooms to Trans in every western government office, yes, there is a price to pay… besides being the laughing stock of the world.
Birds of a feather!
Right, the poor and backwards 70%
Yes birds of a feather. Ukraine, along with 6 other now cursed Euro countries (Belgium,Malta,Ireland,Luxembourg, Portugal,Slovenia). If you include Russia and Armenia as shared a yes vote with Iran by involving the Hague in the matter of Judea and Samaria. The Ukrainians voted yes to a referal that fails to mention the Jewish connection to Judea and Samaria in general and Jerusalem in particular. It was a nefarious vote that is in lockstep with the paleostines attempts to erase the Jews connection withtheir ancient heartland. Ukraine joined the battle against Yahweh . Cursed they are.
More friends than we do. Isolated is a myth.
It's amusing seeing our retarded, traitorous Putinists pretending these shithole countries are going to somehow triumph and ruin the American dollar and economy.
To take advice found here, and tongue firmly in cheek,
Not our monkey, not our circus. Non interventionism forever!
But seriously, not clear to me how russia voted?
Unless the towel heads are willing to send some jihad warrior bodies, I don’t see much value for Russia in this deal.
Russia voted as per Ukraine. Curse on them too
Why Ukraine chose to vote yes is odd. Malta and Belgium are 1st and 2nd to have muslim majorities amongst EU countries down the track. Ukraine had a lot of good high ground to claim by voting No. Zelenksy is a Jew himself, so even weirder
Ok thanks. Yes i disagree with this vote too.
Israel has a right to exist.
It’s the idea behind the vote, which the paleostines have ling used in their contrived historical narrative, that Jews are the interlopers, not them. That Jews have no real connection to the land. I forgot to mention Poland also voted Yes too. Cursed themselves by the immutable ‘ I will bless them that bless thee, and curse them that curse thee’.May Yahweh bless those countries that voted No. Alas, not many. Yahweh has a plan for Jerusalsm that doesn’t include the Hague pontifications
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