Russia Reaches Out to Iran

Russian President Vladimir Putin was one of the first and the few world leaders to congratulate Iran’s President-elect Mahmoud Ahmadinejhad on his recent election victory. Is there more to Russia’s congeniality toward Iran than meets the eye? What does Moscow stand to gain from its widely criticized and controversial relationship with Tehran?

Quick to pen a congratulatory letter to Iran’s president elect, Putin wasted little time in informing Iran’s new leader of his desire to strengthen relations between the two nations. “I am confident that your election, which has become a result of the will of the Iranian people, will maintain continuity in the development of long-term and multifaceted partnership and cooperation between our two states,” he wrote (Islamic Republic News Agency, June 25).

The Russian news agency Novosti was quick to identify the economic benefits that Moscow stands to gain from drawing closer to Iran. “[Russian-Iranian] relations have been developing dynamically …. Trade volume exceeded $2 billion for the first time. The nuclear power plant in Bushehr is nearing completion, and Russia is ready to continue cooperation with Iran in the sphere of peaceful nuclear energy, contribute to political dialog. There are good prospects in cooperation in the spheres of oil and gas, ordinary energy, transport, telecommunications and civil aviation” (June 26).

Over the past month, Russia has expressed its interest in the construction of six more nuclear reactors, as well as 20 nuclear power plants, in Iran. It was also revealed last week that Russian defense company Rosoboronexport is negotiating with Iran about the repair and modernization of Iranian submarines, “a $270 million deal that could revive the bilateral arms trade [between Russia and Iran] but further irritate the United States“ (St. Petersburg Times, July 5, emphasis mine throughout). The opportunity to defy the U.S. and compete with America’s presence and influence in the Middle East, Eastern Europe and Central Asia is another reason behind the warming Russian-Iranian partnership.

Russia and Iran are aligned perfectly in their views of America. “The ussr had a lot of traditional allies. Some of them lean toward Russia nowadays, demonstrating coldness and sometimes hostility with regard to the United States. Moscow takes these countries under its wing, becoming a natural center of anti-American axis …” (Defense and Security, June 24).

Driving Moscow’s aspirations for relations with Tehran is Russia’s (and Iran’s) quest to marginalize, if not eradicate, American influence from their respective regions. “Washington’s quarrels with Moscow over Iran continue. Russia made some minor concessions, but it is not going to abandon its policy of active partnership with Tehran (including arms deals) just to please the U.S.” (ibid.).

The fact is, anti-Americanism is a defining ideology underlying Russian-Iranian relations.

While mutual economic benefits and the desire by both nations to compete with and marginalize American power will draw these two nations together, there is one other critical reason behind Moscow’s attempts to woo Iran.

Steadily coalescing over the western border of Russia is an ominous bloc of nations that the Bible calls the “king of the north” (Daniel 11:40). And while Europe is presently laden with political and economic troubles, Russia is keenly aware that should the European Union ever free itself of its divisive baggage, it will become a most powerful and dangerous alliance of nations.

Russia remembers its bloody history with a militarized and motivated Europe. Considering German ambitions under the cruel hand of Hitler, and alert to Berlin’s present ambitions to unite and dominate Europe, Moscow is seeking to counter Europe’s future dominance and build an alliance with the lead nation in the Islamic world—Iran. Thanks to Russia’s assistance, Iran’s nuclear program is sure to succeed, thrusting the nation forward as the lead nation of the Islamic Middle East.

Thus we see that mutual concern over the rising influence and power of the EU is another reason for developing Russian-Iranian relations.

The Trumpet has written a number of articles highlighting Russia‘s anxiety over the rising power of a united Europe. Moscow is alleviating its concern by strengthening relations with its eastern neighbors, particulary China and Japan.

The EU is presently in political and economic shambles; but it will not be this way for long.Europe‘s present conditions make the region ripe for a revolution of unprecedented proportions. The world will soon witness Europe coalesce; as it does, and surrounding nations grow increasingly concerned, we can watch for Russia to further its ties with Iran, as well as China, Japan and the rest of Asia.

While Russia and Iran stand to gain much from their mutually beneficial relations, time will prove that Moscow’s strongest alliance will be with its eastern neighbors, particularly China and Japan.

Read our free booklets Russia and China in Prophecy, The King of the South and Germany and the Holy Roman Empire if you would like to gain a more through understanding of the future of these three nations.