Putin, Ahmadinejad and the Iranian Nuclear Crisis

Abstract

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has presented Moscow with both opportunities and challenges. This article will examine Russian policies toward and views of Iran since his election in June 2005 with regard to the most prominent issue in the Russian- Iranian relationship: the Iranian nuclear crisis. What this analysis will show is that Moscow has become increasingly frustrated with Ahmadinejad. Despite this, however, Moscow is unlikely to support a confrontational American approach to the Iranian nuclear issue, not only out of a desire to prevent the United States from becoming even more dominant, but also out of fear of losing what stakes Russia now has (and hopes to have) in Iran.