[Peace-discuss] debate in Iran about prospects of anti-Iran Trump-Russia deal

[Robert Naiman]

[...]

But not everyone shared the same positive reading. To some, the message
could be a series of warnings “about Russia’s recent anti-Iran stances in
OPEC by siding with Saudi Arabia … and frequent meetings with the
Israelis," an article in pro-reform Jameh Irani
<http://jamehirani.ir/fa/201807114593/%d9%88%d9%84%d8%a7%db%8c%d8%aa%db%8c-%d8%ad%d8%a7%d9%85%d9%84-%da%86%d9%87-%d9%be%db%8c%d8%a7%d9%85%db%8c-%d8%a8%d8%b1%d8%a7%db%8c-%d9%be%d9%88%d8%aa%db%8c%d9%86-%d8%a7%d8%b3%d8%aa%d8%9f/>
read,
echoing a cynical view of Russian motives. "Russians always lean toward the
side that serves their interests.”

The debate over Iran-Russia relations has always been heated in Iran, with
some arguing that Moscow has historically proven to be untrustworthy. Those
holding that view even believe that Putin and Trump might reach a secret
deal that is against Iran’s oil and regional interests. Hossein
Sheikholeslam
<http://www.ghatreh.com/news/nn43392009/%D8%AF%D8%B3%D8%AA%DB%8C%D8%A7%D8%A8%DB%8C-%DA%86%D8%A7%D8%B1%DA%86%D9%88%D8%A8%DB%8C-%D8%B1%D9%88%D8%B4%D9%86-%D8%A8%D8%B1%D8%A7%DB%8C-%D9%85%D9%82%D8%A7%D8%A8%D9%84%D9%87-%DB%8C%DA%A9%D8%AC%D8%A7%D9%86%D8%A8%D9%87-%DA%AF%D8%B1%D8%A7%DB%8C%DB%8C-%D8%A2%D9%85%D8%B1%DB%8C%DA%A9%D8%A7>,
an adviser to Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, however, dismissed
those speculations. “Trump will not reach an agreement with Putin or with
anyone else," he said, according to Ghatreh. "He is a supremacist and a
pharaoh who seeks to impose his own will on the other side, be it the
Europeans, the Russians or the Chinese.”

- Iran supreme leader’s top aide in Moscow to ‘deliver message’
Al-Monitor Staff July 11, 2018
http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2018/07/iran-velayati-moscow-visit-russia-putin-special-message.html
<http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2018/07/iran-velayati-moscow-visit-russia-putin-special-message.html#ixzz5L3WwkEbH>

===

Robert Naiman
Policy Director
Just Foreign Policy
www.justforeignpolicy.org
naiman at justforeignpolicy.org
(202) 448-2898 x1
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