The View from Beijing of Iran

08/27/2013
2013-08-27 By Richard Weitz Having discussed Russia’s policies towards Iran in an earlier contribution, I thought it instructive to analyze China’s policies towards Tehran to highlight the similarities and differences in their approach, which are often overlooked. I was fortunate in having been in Beijing earlier this month attending a…

Russia and Iran: A Wary Dance

08/22/2013
2013-08-22 by Richard Weitz Most Russians are probably as happy as everyone else to see Iranian President Ahmadinejad leave office. His policies placed additional strains on the Russian-Iranian relationship. For example, Ahmadinejad’s unpopularity forced Moscow to distance itself from his regime, weakening Russian leverage as a potential mediator. Yet, Ahmadinejad’s…