Russia/Iran: nuclear wobbles

Officials in Washington may be scratching their heads this week as they reflect on Russia's apparently cosy relationship with Iran.

President Vladimir Putin's visit to Tehran last week for talks with his Iranian counterpart, Mahmoud Ahmadi-Nejad, was a landmark: Joseph Stalin was the last Russian leader to make such a journey. Putin marked the occasion by endorsing a declaration at the summit of Caspian states that proclaimed Iran's right to nuclear energy. He also invited Ahmadi-Nejad to Moscow for a further chat. Both moves have fuelled Washington's suspicions about Moscow's 'real intentions' amid the international drive to force Iran to abandon its nuclear programme.

Yet Putin declined to set a start date for operations at the Bushehr nuclear reactor, which Russia is building jointly with the Iranians. He seems keen to use the issue of Iran's alleged non-payments for the project to delay its opening of Bushehr -- partly to avoid alienating the United States altogether, and partly to avoid the risk of that Russia will soon have a nuclear-armed Iran on his doorstep.