Will Putin Stab Iran in the Back (The Way Bush Sr. Did to Iraq)?
It bears asking. The oil math says that China is not dependent upon Russian oil--though Russia is dependent upon China for its solvency. If China wants to, it can start buying oil from Saudi Arabia. Lots of oil to go around lately.
Now, how can Putin eliminate Saudi Arabia as a threat to his country? He can't actually attack Saudi Arabia. The world would take an enormous dump all over him. Even his BFF Trump would have to do something. However, Putin could do Saudi Arabia a big favor if he set up his supposed buddy, Iran. There is nothing that Saudi Arabia hates more than Shiites with oil.
Say for instance, Putin were to pretend to give Iran the green light to invade Azerbaijan, ethnically closely allied with Iran and part of the Persian Empire until seized by Russia in the 19th century. Azerbaijan is buddies with Israel at the moment. If Russia claimed that he had Trump in his pocket and that there would be no consequences if Iran made an act of aggression against its neighbor, Trump and the UN could then swoop down like Desert Storm II on Iran---and with Iran's oil fields out of play, the price of oil would go up. Plus, Saudi Arabia and the Sunnis would owe Russia---enough that they might not try to supply oil to China in the event that China went looking for another source.
Recall that Poppy Bush set up Sadaam by assuring him that the US would look the other way when he invaded Kuwait.
Anyone who thinks that Putin loves Iran, ask yourself this---has he given Iran nukes? Sunni Pakistan has nukes. Israel has nukes. The Shiites are the only folks in the Mid East without nukes. If Putin really, truly loved Iran--the way Henry Kissinger loved Pakistan for hating India---he would supply them with nuclear weapons. The fact that he has not makes me think that he plans to stab them in the back and push them into a war they can neither win nor lose---ongoing war in the Middle East being the easiest way to keep oil prices high. And when Putin disavows his former allies in Iran, Trump can say "See, I told you Putin was a good guy."
Iran, whatever you do, do not listen to Putin and do not stray outside your own borders. And be careful in Syria. That could be a great big Tar Baby, too. It is in Russia's best interest to throw you to the wolves.