Russia biggest winner in US Iran deal?, Russian Iranian January 20, 2015 military cooperation agreement, Russia lost $13 billion in arms contracts because of sanctions, Iran was the fourth largest importer of Russian military equipment

Russia biggest winner in US Iran deal?, Russian Iranian January 20, 2015 military cooperation agreement, Russia lost $13 billion in arms contracts because of sanctions, Iran was the fourth largest importer of Russian military equipment

“[During negotiations,] the importance of the need to develop Russia and Iran’s cooperation in the joint struggle against meddling in the affairs of the region by external forces that are not part of it was framed,”…Iranian Defense Minister Hossein Dehghan

“President Barack Obama telephoned Russian President Vladimir Putin Wednesday to thank the Russian leader for his integral role in reaching nuclear deal with Iran.”…UPI July 16, 2015

“We are being lied to on a scale unimaginable by George Orwell.”…Citizen Wells

Forget the impact of an influx of Iranian oil on market prices.

The price of oil is artificially low now and will shoot back up eventually.

Russia stands to gain much when sanctions are lifted on Iran as it lost much when they were imposed.

And don’t forget, any of the theoretical new sanctions or punishments that could  be imposed on Iran can be vetoed by Russia.

From The Diplomat January 21, 2015.

“On January 20, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and his Iranian counterpart, Defense Minister Hossein Dehghan, signed an intergovernmental agreement on “long term and multifaceted” military cooperation in Tehran, Iran. It is the first time in 15 years that a Russian defense minister has visited Iran and underlines the growing military and diplomatic ties between both countries united by their joint opposition to U.S. foreign policy in the Middle Eastern region and beyond.

According to Sputnik News, defense minister Hossein Dehghan is quoted as saying that during bilateral discussions, “the importance of the need to develop Russia and Iran’s cooperation in the joint struggle against meddling in the affairs of the region by external forces that are not part of it was framed.” Dehghan noted that they singled out the U.S. policy that “meddles in the domestic affairs of other countries” as a major reason for the deteriorating security situation in the Middle East and the rest of the world today.

According to the Associated Press, Dehghan furthermore emphasized that, “Iran and Russia are able to confront the expansionist intervention and greed of the United States through cooperation, synergy and activating strategic potential capacities. … As two neighbors, Iran and Russia have common viewpoints toward political, regional and global issues.”

For example, Russia and Iran are both continuing their support of the Assad regime in Syria.”

“Second, full-fledged military cooperation between Iran and Russia can only happen once UN sanctions have been lifted. This largely depends on Tehran’s willingness to reach a mutually acceptable agreement in the P5+1 negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program.  Only then can full-fledged arms sales resume. In October 2011, Russia made its last and so far only public arms sale to Iran in the form of a radar-jamming station. Back in the year 2000, Iran was the fourth largest importer of Russian military equipment placing right after China, India, and the United Arab Emirates, buying 6.1 percent of Russia’s total arms exports. Sputnik News quotes the Center for the Analysis of World Arms Trade in Moscow, which estimated that the Russian defense industry has lost around $13 billion in arms sales due to UN sanctions against Iran.”

http://thediplomat.com/2015/01/russia-and-iran-sign-military-cooperation-agreement/

From the NY Times July 14, 2015.

“Sergey V. Lavrov, the Russian foreign minister, lost no time in talking about the accord on Iran’s nuclear program. He was on television minutes after the deal was clinched, and even before the formal news conference had begun, announcing the landmark agreement to the audience back home and emphasizing the many potential benefits, strategic and economic, that it holds for Russia.

The deal reopens the door for lucrative contracts to expand Iran’s civilian nuclear energy program, which Russia has been looking forward to for years. And it may neutralize a major reason the United States has offered for developing a missile defense system in Europe, a project that President Vladimir V. Putin and other Kremlin officials have said was a threat to Russian security.”

“Mr. Putin himself issued a statement on Tuesday welcoming the deal, underlining Russia’s role and noting that his government would move ahead with its nuclear power agreements and with strengthening bilateral ties.

He described the accord as “important for the implementation of large-scale plans of peaceful nuclear cooperation between Russia and Iran that got support in the documents approved today.”

Russia possesses some of the world’s foremost expertise in atomic energy, and has helped build and operate atomic reactors in Iran for many years. Rosatom, the Russian state nuclear energy company, helped build and expand the Bushehr nuclear plant and already has contracts to build two more reactors there.

Mr. Lavrov said Russia and Iran have “very ambitious plans for the development of Iranian nuclear power.” He also said Russia expected to have a major role in putting the accord with Iran into effect, including two areas specified in the agreement: the shipment of low-enriched uranium from Iran to Russia in exchange for supplies of natural uranium, and the modification of the Fordo enrichment processing plant to produce stable isotopes for medical and industrial purposes instead of bomb fuel.

Beyond the energy sector, Russia expects to make substantial sales of conventional weapons to Iran. In the late stages of negotiations, Mr. Lavrov made a hard, dramatic push for an immediate and complete lifting of an international arms embargo against Iran, apparently helping set the stage for a deal.

In the end, a compromise was reached that will continue the embargo for five to eight years. Still, Mr. Lavrov suggested that Russia stood to benefit even sooner from renewed arms deals with Tehran because exceptions would be allowed under new notification and United Nations approval procedures.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/15/world/europe/russia-quickly-maneuvers-to-capitalize-on-iran-nuclear-deal.html?_r=0

Oh, and by the way…..

From Reuters July 18, 2015.

“Russia’s Putin orders formation of new military reserve force

Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered the creation of a new reserve armed force as part of steps to improve training and military readiness at a time of international tensions with the West over Ukraine.”

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/07/18/us-russia-putin-military-reserves-idUSKCN0PS0CZ20150718