I wonder what W. did to get Russia to agree to this.
Russia has informed Iran that it will withhold nuclear fuel for Iran’s nearly completed Bushehr power plant unless Iran suspends its uranium enrichment as demanded by the United Nations Security Council, European, American and Iranian officials said.
The ultimatum was delivered in Moscow last week by Igor Ivanov, Russia’s Security Council Secretary, to Ali Hosseini Tash, Iran’s deputy chief nuclear negotiator, said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because a confidential diplomatic exchange between two governments was involved.
[…] “We’re not sure what mix of commercial and political motives are at play here,†one senior Bush administration official said in Washington. “But clearly the Russians and the Iranians are getting on each other’s nerves — and that’s not all bad.â€
Look at that! For a change, we know exactly as much as a “senior Bush Administration official”! Who knew we were that smart?
Any way you look at it, this is excellent news. Without Russian help, the I-bomb is years and years away.
Dammit, Eric. Why’d you have to say that?
I was feeling particularly hopeful this morning.
Sorry, Meryl. You can’t stop me speaking truth to power.
I think the Russians are involved in a theatrical production here, to give the Iranians time to come up with some other dodge, after which they will declare themselves satisfied and resume cooperation.
Meanwhile, the West will have lost another 6 months or so of doing nothing, behind this imaginary Russian shield.
I just think Putin is mad because the Iranians owe him money.
When the check clears, the Russians will be “happy with the progress Iran has made to show their quest for nuclear power is for peaceful means.”
I don’t trust Tsars.
Or commies.
Putin is both.