Iran forces Israel to open up

A new wave of confrontation around Iran is the result of relations
between Russia and the USA. Obama's administration managed to find
common ground with the Kremlin. Russia agrees more with the US
approach to solving the Iranian nuclear issue. Russia and China joined
the new sanctions approved by the Security Council of UN.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov admitted that Moscow has
information on Iran stockpiling uranium for uncertain purposes. Russia
believes that closing down, or at least halting, the uranium
enrichment program by Tehran would be a solution to the crisis. Russia
criticized the sanctions of the US and EU but decided to show
'reverence' to its partners by freezing the S-300 AA missile complex
shipment contract to Iran.

The issue with the missiles was especially painful for Iran and caused
grievances and reproaches. Several deputies and politicians, as well
as the Defense Minister General Vahidi, spoke out against the
decision. A deputy in the Iranian parliament, and the head of a
parliamentary committee for security, Khosseyn Inrakhimi, said at the
meeting with members of the committee and spokesmen of the Ministry of
Reconnaissance that they had discussed the possibility of "a dramatic
reduction" in relations with Russia. Iran decided to close down its
relations with Russia and China after they voted for sanctions at the
UN Security Council.

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad commented on the issue, expressing his doubts
about Russia being a friend for Iran. The view on the launching of the
nuclear power plant in Bushehr, constructed by 'Rosatom', changed as
well. The launching date was first postponed to March 2010, then to
August and now to September 2010. The head of Iranian commission for
nuclear energy, Ali Soltaniye, said that he does not see any problems
hindering the launch of the reactor.

Iran froze the negotiation process until autumn and put forward
counter-demands. Ahmadinejad demanded that the sides determine their
position concerning the nuclear program of Israel and devotion to the
Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). Lavrov discussed the nuclear
issue with his counterparts in Israel. The conflict of Turkey and
Israel should be viewed in the same flow, when Israel attacked a
humanitarian ship heading to the Gaza Strip.

Making Israel open up is exceedingly hard. And it seems the final
decision will be made by the US, which has the greatest influence on
Tel-Aviv.

Author: Yevgeniy Krishtaliov. Exclusively for VK