Russia refuses Iran

Before the start of the 65th session of the UN General Assembly,
Dmitry Medvedev signed a decree, according to which Iran will not
receive S-300 missile complexes, some of its scientists and
functionaries will not be able to enter Russia and there will be
limits put on financial operations in the republic.

The Kremlin explained its decision by the necessity to follow UN
Security Council resolution 1929 of June 9th 2010. Moscow officially
refuses to sell S-300 complexes to Iran. In June Russian diplomats and
experts were saying that the resolution does not affect the complexes,
as they are used for defense purposes.

The Russian president’s decree has other points. It does not allow any
Russian combat tanks, armed military vehicles, high-calibre artillery
systems, combat aircraft, combat vessels and missiles to be shipped to
Iran.

There is also a list of scientists and functionaries who will not be
able to enter Russia or travel through its territory. This includes
Abbas Rezai Ashtiani, the head of the geological exploration and
extraction department of the Iranian Atomic Energy Organization,
Doctor Mohammad Eslami, the head of education and the science-research
institute of the defense industry and Mohammad Reza Nagdi, the former
deputy head of the General Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces for
logistics support and industrial research.


Concerning the financial sphere, Dmitry Medvedev restricted all
financial services of Russian individuals and legal bodies related to
the Iranian nuclear program. This includes insurances and
re-insurances. Any operations with assets and resources on Russian
territory related to the Iranian nuclear program are also forbidden.

The Russian decision to toughen and clarify the sanctions against Iran
has caused public reaction in the USA. The White House was the first
to welcome Moscow’s refusal to provide S-300 complexes to Iran. A
spokesman for Barack Obama’s administration said that such a decision
demonstrates good cooperation between Russia and the USA in
strengthening world security.

The decision of the Kremlin is not a sensation. Moscow was gradually
clarifying its position on Iranian, according to the context of the
situation around its nuclear program and real steps taken by Tehran to
prevent confrontation. Russia managed to finish construction and
adjustment of the first Iranian nuclear power plant in Bushehr. The
nuclear power plant was to become an example of realizing a peaceful
nuclear program. But Tehran was devoted to greater independence in
this sphere and continues uranium enrichment, confirming to the US the
military purposes of the process.

Realization of the agreement, signed under the mediation of Turkey and
Brazil for exchanging low-enriched uranium for highly-enriched for the
research reactor, was halted. The International Atomic Energy Agency,
which controls the global nuclear sphere, expressed fresh discontent
with the secrecy of the Iranian facilities and lack of complete
information about Iran's nuclear program.

Russia was trying to help Iran get through these disagreements.
Medvedev’s decree shows that the patience of Moscow is limited.
Washington does not intend to use force against Iran, but it does not
exclude preparations for such a scenario.

Ahmadinejad often appears on television, he is using every PR
opportunity available. First Ahmadinajad made a speech at the summit
on the Millennium Development Goals, where he called for joint
leadership of the world. Iranian leader was also on the Larry King
show, but he failed to give a clear answer as to whether he is ready
to have a meeting with Barack Obama. Ahmadinejad saved his main
arguments for the General Assembly on September 23. Russia believes
that the main result of the discussions is the renewal of negotiations
with Tehran on the nuclear problem by the ‘six’ mediators (Russia,
USA, UK, China, France and Germany), which were postponed in 2009.

Author: Yevgeniy Krishtaliov exclusively for VK