Russian Relations with Iran Are an Area of Concern

Jorgen Staun, a researcher and political scientist with a PhD from the University of Copenhagen, has recently produced a report for the Danish Institute for International Studies, which analyzes the current status of Russia as an international power player. This assessment contains some suggestions on how the European Union, and hence the western world, should respond to Russian foreign policy. The underlying theme for the western reader has to be how Russia will align themselves in the current tensions that now exist between Iran and the western world.

The 70 page report, titled "Siloviki Versus Liberal-Technocrat, the Fight for Russia and Its Foreign Policy" provides an interesting read for students, followers of international relations and those engaged in the formulation of foreign policy. Professor Staun traces current events and provides economic, political and military comparisons between Russia and other power players in the world.

He concludes that Russia is not really a military threat to the world, even with their nuclear capabilities, but their role as a spoiler in a myriad of east-west relationships is enhanced by their oil and natural gas resources as well as their position as a member of the United Nation's Security Council. He states that while Russia seems to be moving more to an autocratic state, that they are not presently aligning themselves with either the east or the west. Staun suggests that the west should remain inviting to Russia and present economic and political opportunities for them to feel more welcome in the EU family.

His evaluations, observations and assessments of internal and external political activities during the present tenure of Vladimir Putin provide an insightful examination of the activities of a man that wants to insure that Russia remains an economic and political force in the world even as their military prowess is in decline.