1228: Russia fears a pro-Western Iran and will complicate all discussions. Anna Borshchevskaya, @annaborsh, Malcolm Hoenlein, @conf_of_pres
Image: Russian village (https://picryl.com/media/russian-village) Anna Borshchevskaya, @annaborsh, The Washington Institute,Oxford Analytica; and Malcolm Hoenlein, @conf_of_pres, Conference of Presidents, in re: Iran. Syria. Is Russia a helpmate with either Washington or Teheran in the renewal of the JCPOA? More interested in being on Iran’s side; therefore will complicate efforts. Iran’s parliamentary speaker in Moscow; Iran builds stronger ties with China and Russia; Russia will press in favor of a return to JCPOA: “synchronization” where US and Iran move simultaneously—danger: concerns about Iran’s not sticking to its nuclear obligations, so we need first to press for compliance, which Russia will reject. What Russia fears the most is a pro-Western Iran. Note coordination between Russia and Iran in data. Troubling that actors are learning from each other. Russia and Iran challenging the world order and working against US primacy in world affairs. Astana Process. Anna Borshchevskaya is a senior Fellow at The Washington Institute, focusing on Russia's policy toward the Middle East. In addition, she is a contributor to Oxford Analytica and a fellow at the European Foundation for Democracy. https://nationalinterest.org/feature/don%E2%80%99t-expect-russia-help-save-iran-deal-178264 https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/menasource/dont-rely-on-moscow-to-help-with-reconciliation-in-syrias-daraa-province/ https://www.mid.ru/en/foreign_policy/news/-/asset_publisher/cKNonkJE02Bw/content/id/4576121 https://www.newsweek.com/iran-courts-china-russia-new-nuclear-deal-declining-us-stalls-1568880 https://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2021/02/iran-groups-east-syria-presence-influence-recruitment.html