Will the success of US-Russian cooperation in reaching a major agreement on Iran’s nuclear program create a new opportunity — and new momentum — for a political solution to Syria’s seemingly unending civil war? Both Washington and Moscow appear to be leaving the door open. But walking through it will not be easy.
The Iran deal has produced a level of mutual congratulations in the US-Russia relationship that, however mild, has not existed for some time. According to the White House, President Barack Obama “thanked President [Vladimir] Putin for Russia’s important role in achieving this milestone” during a July 15 telephone conversation. Two days later, the Kremlin announced that Putin and members of Russia’s Security Council — including Russia’s top military, intelligence and security officials, who are generally not Washington’s best friends in Moscow — “noted again that the leading role and constructive position taken by the United States played a big part in making it possible to finalize the agreements” during a meeting chaired by Putin. This ritualistic exchange of praise was quite different in tone from many other recent statements from the two governments.
