November 3, 2009 By Citizen M

Will Russia Deliver On Iran?

Today’s POLITICUS in the New York Times tries to fathom the extent to which NATO and the Western powers really trust Russia to cooperate in putting pressure on Iran, regarding its nuclear programme.  Whilst certain recent moves by the West suggest an element of confidence in the Kremlin’s good nature, such as the Mistral deal, and, depending on who you read, the scrapping of the missile defence scheme, others imply a latent distrust. 

How much trust do — or should — the Western allies accord Russia in attempting to get its cooperation to stop Iran’s drive for nuclear weapons?

And while good faith is the issue, what practical Western steps or accommodations are understood in NATO Brussels’ home-office line that the allies owe Moscow recognition of its “security interests”?