A valuable article by Ray Takeyh and Nikolas Gvosdev is running in today’s IHT, which examines Russia’s motives in the Iran nuclear question: The incongruity of providing sensitive nuclear resources to a country that is actively sanctioned for its nuclear malfeasance is not lost on Iran’s clerical elite. A similar pattern is continuing in other areas, whereby Russia’s complaints about Iran’s nuclear activities has not deter it from signing additional commercial contracts with Iran. There are strong economic motives guiding the Russian designs, as Moscow and Tehran together control roughly 20 percent of world’s oil reserves and close to half of the world’s gas reserves. The two powers could do much to dilute their respective leverage over the global energy markets. Moreover, in addition to atomic power projects, Iran’s oil and gas sector offer many opportunities to Russian firms looking for new investments. Keeping Iranian energy from becoming attractive for European consumers, while financing projects that will tie ever-hungrier South Asia and China into even greater dependence on Iran benefits a number of Russian objectives.