Russia U-Turns on Iran

Russia's president has left open the possibility that world powers could impose additional sanctions on Iran for its controversial nuclear program. Speaking in Moscow, Dmitri Medvedev said that while sanctions are not very effective, they are necessary in some situations.
London Times concluded that Medvedev is hinting at being prepared to perform a major policy U-turn and support US moves for sanctions against Iran.
His remarks contradicted his own Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov, who only last week ruled out sanctions.
While this comes as a huge relief to Western diplomats, especially Americans, who had largely given up on Russia supporting them, it highlights the increasingly complex relation between Mosccow and Washington.
The 2009 National Intelligence Agency Strategy (NIS), a US report which lays out the priorities for the US intelligence community for the next four years, listed Russia along with the emerging superpower China, Iran and North Korea as the four main nations challenging American interests.

"Russia is a US partner in important initiatives such as securing fissile material and combating nuclear terrorism, but it may continue to seek avenues for reasserting power and influence in ways that complicate US interests," said the report.

During the same meeting that witnessed Mevedev's hint at a possible policy U-turn on Iran, Russian president President, due to visit the United States shortly, slammed Washington for holding back Russia's long-running bid to join the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

If it weren't for the highly cautious US policy on Russia's WTO accession, and bluntly speaking, if it weren't for the blocking by the United States, we would have been there long ago," Medvedev said.