Failure to Reach a Nuclear Deal will Drive Iran into Russia's Arms

Tehran and Moscow, facing similar political and economic pressures from the west, have developed strong ties since the Islamic Revolution. More recently, as relations between the US and Moscow have soured, the links have only intensified. But for Tehran, closer ties to Moscow are not so much a choice as the only viable option — and in the run-up to the deadline for a comprehensive international deal on the Iranian nuclear programme, Moscow's influence looms dangerously large. Decisions made in the next few days by the US, China, France, the UK and Russia, plus Germany (the "P5+1") and Iran, will determine whether that remains the case.

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