This week, Russian International Minister Sergey Lavrov travelled to Iran, the place he met with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and several other different officers. The go to got here on the tail of two conferences between Pezeshkian and Russian President Vladimir Putin on October 8 and September 1.
Media experiences have indicated that Moscow has supplied to mediate between Washington and Tehran in talks on a doable nuclear deal. Whether or not these efforts shall be profitable is simply too early to guage, however there are a number of components that would make Russia a doubtlessly simpler mediator than others.
As a significant nuclear energy and with state-owned nuclear power big Rosatom being a frontrunner on the planet’s civilian nuclear power area, Russia is eminently competent in all elements of the Iranian nuclear programme.
Moscow’s basic angle in the direction of that programme has been clear. It helps Iranian ambition to have home nuclear power technology; it’s at the moment constructing two new items of the nuclear energy plant in Bushehr. Nevertheless it opposes Iranian improvement or acquisition of nuclear weapons. It definitely doesn’t need nuclear proliferation so near its borders.
Moreover, Russia’s relations with Iran, lengthy testy, have markedly improved not too long ago. One of many causes for the rising belief between the 2 nations has been that each have been attacked by the USA: straight within the case of Iran and not directly, in a proxy battle trend, within the case of Russia.
In 2022, Washington overtly set the objective of “inflicting a strategic defeat on Russia”. Then, Iran got here to Russia’s help and transferred to Russia its Shahed drone know-how.
In early 2025, the 2 nations signed the Treaty on Complete Strategic Partnership, which outlined the parameters of increasing financial, political and army cooperation. It is very important notice that the Russians proposed a mutual army help clause to incorporate within the treaty, however the Iranians demurred.
Thus the criticism that Moscow supposedly failed to return to Tehran’s defence within the 12-day battle of 2025 and within the ongoing army battle is ill-informed. Russia has stood by Iran and has repaid its debt.
Serving to the US attain a brand new nuclear take care of Iran could be clearly in Russia’s curiosity. Though Russia sees Iran because the true victor due to its gorgeous resilience within the face of the US-Israeli assaults, it additionally realises the enormity of the harm inflicted on its companion. Russia hopes that peace would unlock its main logistical mission, the Worldwide North-South Transport Hall to India, which passes by means of Iran.
Moscow additionally sees the Arab Gulf monarchies as essential and helpful allies and doesn’t wish to jeopardise relations with them due to Iran’s retaliatory strikes towards their territories. Even when Russia has gained financially because of the surge in oil costs because of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, these beneficial properties are of quick period. The persevering with blockade isn’t in its curiosity.
Moscow can be in a robust place to mediate with Iran as a result of it was a part of the eight-party talks that led to the 2015 signing of the Joint Complete Plan of Motion (JCPOA) addressing Iran’s nuclear programme.
Of these eight, the US withdrew whereas France, Germany, the UK and the European Union misplaced their standing in each Washington and Tehran due to their actions.
This basically leaves US President Donald Trump with Russia and China. Russia, for its half, has already stepped up mediation efforts. This month, Putin reportedly delivered an Iranian proposal by cellphone to Trump. In parallel, there may be heightened US diplomatic exercise to deliver an finish to the battle in Ukraine, the place Trump for the primary time is making use of strain on Kiev.
In the meantime, the US president has talked about that an unprecedented trilateral assembly with Putin and Chinese language chief Xi Jinping throughout the Asia-Pacific Financial Cooperation summit in Shenzhen subsequent month would make sense if it had been targeted on denuclearisation.
It is very important do not forget that the crises in Eurasia – from Ukraine to Iran and Taiwan – are intrinsically linked as a result of they contain the principal geopolitical and army gamers of immediately’s world: the US, China and Russia.
The truth that for the primary time ever the leaders of those three nations are discussing the potential of a trilateral assembly is greater than only a subject for pundits to mull on air.
This might not be the daybreak of a brand new world order, however it may very well be a small step to steadiness wars with diplomacy.
The views expressed on this article are the creator’s personal and don’t essentially replicate Al Jazeera’s editorial stance.
