Russia and Iran energy and weapons deal gets Israel ready for attack Iran's nuclear facilities.

RUSSIA, IRAN, ISRAEL

Russia has sold Iran hundreds of major weapons systems, including T-72 tanks,  air-to-air missiles, and a combat aircraft like the MiG-29. Russia has sold  Iran a surface-to-air missile defense system (SA-15 Gauntlet) along with thirty TOR M-1 air-defense missile systems, ostensibly to defend its Russian-built nuclear reactor at Bushehr.

Moscow also is upgradeing Tehran’s Su-24, MiG-29 aircraft, and T-72 battle tanks.

Iran has shown interest in S-300 anti-aircraft missiles from Russia and Belarus, which can intercept enemy aircraft ninety to 180 miles away.

For Russia, Iran is a regional power and an important trade partner. Russia needs Iran for arms sales, as well as for maintaining the security of Russia’s southern borders; Iran needs Russia for military equipment, energy security and political protection at the U.N.

Russia has put itself in a position to negotiate an agreement with Iran to cartelize the global supply of natural gas.

The Russian -Iranian relationship lies very much in the development of international issues elsewhere in the world. At the moment, Russia and Iran have a mutual need to maintain their relationship and to play up its importance in order to protect the territorial status  and exert influence with other neighbouring states.

Russia has an interest in maintaining good relations with the Islamic world and in keeping influence with countries in the Middle East.

 Iran has found a mutual benefit in making good use of Russia’s position as a weapons suppliers and ally on the UN Security Council.

Whether or not there is a genuine affection for one another is debateable, but until the relationship is tested by a potential crisis such as the imminent development of an Iranian nuclear weapon which will force Russia into taking a definitive stance on the issues, both countries have sufficient reason to maintain their unholy alliance.

 Russia, Iran and Qatar which jointly possess 55% of global, proved natural gas reserves have announced their plan to form an organization of major gas producing countries worldwide, on the lines of Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). If formed, the gas cartel will certainly have an influence on global gas prices if its members act as a group. The cartel can then manage the global gas supplies and in turn, gas prices.

The cartel can also press for Liquefied Natural Gas(LNG) to be traded for the first time as a commodity in the different commodity exchanges across the world. This proposed cartel may be enhanced by the addition of new members like Algeria, Indonesia, Libya, and Venezuela. Once formed, the member countries will meet once in every quarter to discuss pricing and supplies of natural gas.

Israel has for years tried to convince Russia not to sell its advanced S-300 surface-to-air missile systems to Iran, which the Jewish state fears Tehran could deploy around its controversial nuclear sites.

Israel warned that the delivery of S-300s could force Israel to carry out an attack on Iran's nuclear facilities, since the nuclear sites would be much harder to attack once the missiles are installed.