Tehran — During the early days of the revolution, the Islamic Republic of Iran aimed to chart a course that was “neither East nor West.” It was a concept borrowed from a popular slogan of its founder and former supreme leader, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. Thirty-five years later, however, Iran appears to be pursuing a “not only East, but also West” approach.
The likelihood of reaching a comprehensive nuclear deal with the West this summer raises the question of how Iran will behave toward Russia (a years-long partner, albeit a shaky one, in the oil, gas, nuclear and defense spheres) and the United States (a potential partner that has led the international effort to isolate, contain and sanction Iran, but is increasingly in conflict with Russia).