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Reports last month that Russia was preparing to supply Iran with the S-300, one of the world’s most versatile anti-aircraft missile systems, put the Russian-Iranian relationship back in the spotlight.
Not only has Russia long been Iran’s largest conventional arms supplier—selling it fighter jets, tanks and long-range missiles, but Moscow has also partnered with Tehran to develop sensitive nuclear technology. This Iran-Russia atomic cooperation comes while much of the world is trying to isolate Tehran for its rejection of multiple U.N. Security Council resolutions demanding that it end its nuclear work.
Moscow Blocks Diplomatic Efforts to Isolate Tehran
For years now, the United States has been working with its allies to isolate Iran through sanctions, divestment and other financial and diplomatic means. Russia has hampered these efforts, using its veto power to water down U.N. sanctions resolutions and drawing out negotiations when Iran has failed to meet deadlines.
Russia remains a problem outside the Security Council as well. Recently, at negotiations with Iran in Geneva, Russia neglected to censure Iranian diplomats for their stalling tactics. Instead, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that there should be “no artificial limits” imposed on Iran. Downplaying any sense of urgency, Russia’s U.N. ambassador, Vitaly Churkin, later added, “We haven’t set any deadlines for their response.”
As Russia continues to protect Iran from more stringent international sanctions, Moscow has also strengthened its business ties with the Islamic Republic. Last month, the Russian energy company Gazprom signed a major deal with Iran to enhance cooperation in Tehran’s oil, gas and refining sectors. The Gazprom deal comes as major Western companies, such as the French energy giant Total, have announced that they will not develop gas fields in Iran at this time.
Russia Shares Nuclear Technology With Iran
The light-water reactor in the southern Iranian city of Bushehr represents the centerpiece of Russian-Iranian nuclear cooperation. Moscow first agreed to help Iran construct the reactor in 1995. Since then—and especially in the years following the 9/11 attacks—the Bushehr project has raised concerns about nuclear proliferation in the Middle East.
Moscow has attempted to allay fears of an Iranian nuclear weapons program by committing to take back all spent fuel from Bushehr that could be used for bomb making.
Some scientists fear that Iran could one day extract weapons grade plutonium from the Bushehr reactor. In addition, some U.S. officials worry that the Russians and Iranians are using Bushehr as a cover for the transfer of other sensitive technology.
There are also concerns that knowledge gained by Iranian scientists working at Bushehr could further Iran’s illicit nuclear program at other sites in the country, such as Natanz, Isfahan and Arak. As part of Russia’s work with Iran, Russia has trained about 700 Iranian nuclear engineers.
Congress Calls for Conditions on U.S.-Russia Nuclear Deal
Despite Russia’s role in aiding Iran’s nuclear program, Washington and Moscow recently signed a nuclear cooperation agreement. The so-called 123 agreement, named after a section of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, allows spent nuclear fuel, currently under U.S. control, to be stored in Russia. It also allows the United States and Russia to jointly design and market the next generation nuclear power reactor.
With the agreement potentially worth tens of billions of dollars to Russia, some members of Congress believe that the deal should be used to leverage Russian support for tougher sanctions against Iran.
To date, the House Foreign Affairs Committee has passed legislation that conditions approval of the U.S.-Russia nuclear cooperation agreement on U.S. certification that Moscow has ceased all support for Tehran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs.
Congress has said that it has no objections to the 123 agreement itself, but some members would like to see a change in Russia’s relationship with Iran. After all, they say, the United States should not be signing a nuclear deal with Russia while Moscow cooperates with Iran, a nuclear outlaw. •NER•
