Russia to Continue Nuke Cooperation With Iran (Russia-Iran Alliance)

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'Russia to continue nuke cooperation with Iran'
http://www.iranmania.com/News/ArticleView/Default.asp?ArchiveNews=Yes&NewsCode=32007&NewsKind=CurrentAffairs

Saturday, May 21, 2005 - ©2005 IranMania.com

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LONDON, May 21 (IranMania) - Head of Russia's Atomic Energy Agency Alexander Rumyantsev reiterated on Friday that Moscow will continue its nuclear cooperation with Tehran.

"Even the US cannot inflict the least damage on Russia's cooperation with Iran," Rumyantsev said in a meeting with Iran's outgoing Ambassador to Russia Gholam Reza Shafei, according to IRNA.

Noting that President Vladimir Putin of Russia attached great importance to all-out cooperation between Moscow and Tehran, particularly in the area of nuclear activities, Rumyantsev stressed that the president considered Tehran as Moscow's "strategic ally in southern Russia."

As to the Bushehr power plant which is under construction with the help of Russian experts in southern Iran, he said that the plant would become operational on schedule (set for late 2006).

He noted that Russia would supply fuel for Bushehr power plant on the basis of an agreement signed between the two sides.

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Note the Minister's comment about Iran being the "strategic ally in southern Russia." If this is a statement of Kremlin policy, an attack on Iran could start World War III.

[Toots]

1. The gauntlet has been thrown down and the line drawn

Russia is telling the US in no uncertain terms, if you attack Iran be prepared to deal with Russia as well. Russia knows that the US is appearing more and more every day like a paper tiger. Yes the US has lots of Nukes but no manpower or equipment to back them up. I doubt very much if any European country would side with the US given how arrogant the US has become. I am fairly certain Iran is safe from American attack at the moment but Israel is the Joker in the deck.

[kineneb]

2. The screw turns...

There has been a long-standing relationship between "Russia" (in what ever form) and Iran. Considering the geography, it is perfectly natural. Lets look at a map, hmmm...

-to the west: Arab Iraq/Babylon, never a really friendly relationship

-to the east: 1)Afganistan, originally part of the Persian Empire, but still tribal after many centuries. 2)Pakistan, more a part of the Indian sphere than of the Middle East

-to the north: 1)north-west is Turkey, but mostly the area is occupied by Kurds on both sides of the boarder who would prefer a Kurdistan over Turkey, Iran or Iraq. 2) finally, the Caspian Sea and Russia. If you were doing strategic planning, who would you be looking at? Russia looks the most promising.

(fun side note: the Caspian Sea is so salty that you float on it. I "body surfed" on it when I lived in Iran.)

[Merlin]

3. Wow! You lived in Iran? Please tell us more...

How long ago? Where?

[kineneb]

5. 1970-71 school year, Tehran American School, 7th grade

My step-father wanted to return to his country, so I went along with the family. For a complex and personal set of reasons, I was unable to tolerate living there, and returned after the school year ended to live with my grandparents in NorCal. The parents stayed on until the Revolution, and then had to leave, since they were on the wrong side. Many members of the family live outside Iran, all over the world, but mostly in SoCal.

We still have relatives there and the last thing I would want to see is an all-out war. How, oh how, would I explain it to my grandmother, who lives in Tehran?

[Merlin]

7. Amazing story. What an experience that must have been.

Assuming we get through the rest of the years of the Bush affliction without things blowing up over there, are you interested in visiting again?

[kineneb]

8. I am not sure.

I certainly would like to see some of the historical sites that I did not see as a child. But it would take some change to the religious attitude before I entertain the notion. I do not look like the locals; suffice it to say I would fit in in Norway. And I refuse to wear a chadoor (veil). Hats -yes, veil -no.

[Merlin]

9. If you have nordic looks, it was damn smart to leave when you did.

It's hard to believe any culture on earth could be more medieval than the Catholic Church, but surely the Islamic fundamentalist strongholds of the middle east are exactly that.

Thanks for your insights.

[Jamison]

4. This could be a good thing.

This type of nuclear alliance should definitely help * and the chicken-hawk neo-cons that they should back off from Iran. This administration is like a schoolyard bully that picks on smaller & weaker nations. That fact that Iran has a "big brother" should keep the bully at bay.

[jpak]

6. Gee

If Israel attacked Busherh and killed Russian techs - would Russia retaliate by attacking the Israeli reactor at Dimona???

http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/world/israel/4is_dimona_092971_reactor_005.htm

What's good for the goose...etc...