Abstract
Iran and Russia have had good relations with each other during the past 20 years and political officials and analysts have refereed to the relationship between these two countries as “important cooperation” and “strategic one.” Nevertheless, relationship between Iran and Russia has been faced with serious problems since nearly one year ago. For instance, despite agreements signed between the two countries, Russia refused to deliver S-300 missile defense systems to Iran; Russians also put obstacles for Iran’s membership in Shanghai Cooperation Organization in the recent summit meeting of this organization in Tashkent.
We can talk of a “grand bargain” between Russia and the United States in which Iran has been sacrificed. According to this perception, Iran is considered as “bargaining chip” in Russia’s interactions with the West. Also, we can refer to the “termination of Iran’s role and function for Russians” as another important factor in this regard. At the same time, Russians are possibly worried of Iran’s threats against their interests. Russia feels that Iran is getting increasingly powerful. Russian officials are possibly worried of Iran’s nuclear programs and its probable influence among Muslims in southern Russia. Finally, we can refer to basic and fundamental problems in the relationship between Iran and Russia, as well as, their expectations from each other. At the same, both Russia and Iran do not understand each other very clearly. In other words, there have been issues in Iran’s “Look to the East” policy and its application towards Russia which have not been clarified. The current state of affairs is the result of such ambiguities. As a result, basic variables of the present research are pursued within concepts such as “Russia’s bargaining chip,” “a finished opportunity for Russia”, “a future threat for Russia”, and “unrealistic expectations from both sides.”
The author of the present article endeavors to make a review of Iran- relationship between the two countries within the past year. The present research evaluates the above-mentioned variables and puts the greatest emphasis on the last variable as one of the basic issues of this research. According to this perspective, Iran-Russia relations during the past 20 years will be evaluated based on Tehran’s ambiguous understanding of international issues. The author of the present article believes that both Iran and Russia, as two important partners, can adopt realistic and appropriate policies based on accurate understandings, and rational expectations, of each other’s potentials and capabilities during the new era.
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