... stringent approach, depending on the further development of events. Targeted sanctions are also possible for cyber incidents. However, the administration has not yet formulated a final opinion on the recent hacking of government electronic systems and Russia’s role in these events.
Positive progress is possible with respect to Iran. The Trump administration has done everything it can to destroy the brainchild of Barack Obama’s diplomacy—the Iranian nuclear deal. Trump not only returned all previously lifted sanctions against Tehran, but also significantly increased pressure ...
... costs on Russian Middle East policy. We argue that Moscow’s losses in such a war would be threatening to Russia’s core interests in the Middle East, and thus is probably the key factor defining the Russian response strategy.
The Fallout of the US-Iran Confrontation for Russia:Revisiting Factors in Moscow’s Calculus
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..., met with Russian energy officials in Moscow on December 20. He
described
the energy cooperation of the two countries as “expanding day by day” which is to “neutralize the consequences of sanctions.” Zanganeh assured Moscow implicitly that Iran-Russia partnership will not change under a new situation and “ups and downs in the international arena.” Without giving any specific details, he
showed
a green light to Russian energy companies to “operate” and “invest” in Iran.
Economically,...
... both sides, act as a stepping stone towards the restoration of bilateral cooperation in other areas.
Regional conflicts
The second area of mutual concern are the regional conflicts in the Middle East, Syria and Libya, as well as the nuclear problem in Iran and North Korea.
It is unlikely that we will see any bilateral agreements on these issues in the near future. That said, the parties would certainly benefit from dialogue, given that both Russia and the United States have their own geopolitical and other interests in these regions.
The most realistic way for such a dialogue to take place at the moment is within the framework of multilateral mechanisms. Russia could step up its efforts ...
... Middle East. Both Russia and the Islamic Republic of Iran regard each other as necessary components of the regional architecture that they envision for the Middle East. The paper attempts to shed light on the views of Moscow and Tehran on these issues.
Russia and Iran in Syria and Beyond: Challenges Ahead
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... any additional terms.” “It is necessary to avoid any revision of the JCPOA, to prevent the inclusion of any terms in the process of its implementation that go beyond the comprehensive agreements of 2015, especially those that are unrelated to the Iranian nuclear program,” the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry stressed. Thus, Moscow foreshadows that the Biden administration may not resist the temptation to include new conditions for a “new” deal. This path of the United States can delay the process and create new problems, especially ...
... need to comply with the OPEC+ quotas has a negative impact on the situation, since with the cut of oil production in Iraq the volume of associated gas production also decreased. And this, in turn, again increases dependence on the gas imported from Iran.
Ruslan Mamedov:
Russia Doubles Down on Iraq Despite COVID-19
If Baghdad loses the possibility to import electricity from Iran, Iraq will not be able to receive the same volume from another source. After Iraq's OPEC+ agreement partners expressed dissatisfaction with Baghdad’s ...
... governorates of Latakia and Tartus; a special account was opened in the Commercial Bank of Syria to help victims of the fires.
Russian Economic Aid to Syria
Clearly unable to handle these multiple challenges alone, Damascus is counting on assistance from Iran and Russia. Tellingly, the local political establishment and expert community are debating the prospects for Russia and Iran attaining a “balance of influence” in light of the results of the upcoming presidential elections in the United States. It is ...
... Chinese sea carrier COSCO Shipping Tanker and a number of other companies.
Russia can come up with a more active policy. Relations between Moscow and Washington have been rock bottom for a long time. In the doctrinal documents of the United States, Russia, China and Iran are placed on the same level: as authoritarian and aggressive countries. There are very large-scale sanctions against Russia. Rosoboronexport and a number of defence industry enterprises have already been blocked by the US Treasury under the Syrian ...
... external aid and progress in the intra-Syrian dialogue into a single stabilization package.
Maxim Suchkov:
Russia in the Middle East: “Be with Us — and Remain Yourself”
Another important set of issues raised by our Damascus partners pertains to Russia being “an ally for Syria, Israel, Iran and Turkey” in the continuing conflict and to what the nature of Russia–U.S. contacts is.
It is no secret that the foreign political services of both countries have always maintained a working exchange of current information. This is particularly ...
