Beneath tough exterior, Putin may be ready to deal on Iran
Russian President Vladimir Putin seems to hold all the cards in the region, but is Moscow ready to show its hand?
Scenario 1: An Opening in Jerusalem?
The conventional wisdom is that despite Russia’s alignment with Iran in support of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, the cracks between Moscow and Tehran are beginning to show.
A senior White House official told Axios “We are sure the Iranians are not happy” that the national security advisers of the United States, Israel and Russia are meeting in Jerusalem this month, and Syria will be at the top of the agenda.
Signs of discontent between Moscow and Tehran are not hard to find. Russian President Vladimir Putin has offered limited comfort to Iran under US sanctions, even saying his country is not a “firefighting rescue crew” if Iran bails on the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.
