Today, the Council on Foreign Relations interviews David Albright, President of the Institute for Science and International Security, who thinks Iran will acquire enough low-enriched uranium this year to “reach the first level of breakout capability, namely enough low-enriched uranium to make one nuclear weapon.” And according to The New York Times a new report by the International Atomic Energy Agency says Iran has nearly 500 more pounds of enriched uranium than previously thought.

The pieces are interesting, since a key element of Iran’s alleged non-intention to construct a military nuclear program–and of America’s revamped anti-nuke diplomacy efforts–has been Russia’s unwavering financial and rhetorical support of Iran’s nuclear electricity infrastructure, most notably its $1 billion contract to build a nuclear power plant at Bushehr which is expected to go online this year. Today, Russian media reported that trade between the two countries accounted for $3.7 billion last year, “which is expected to be higher this year,” according to Russia’s deputy foreign minister, Alexei Borodavkin. And in Moscow, Iran’s defense minister, Mostafa Mohammed Najjar, praised the relationship, saying, “Russia has advanced military technologies, we have used them and plan to keep using them.”