Russian Diplomat: Moscow May Strike Back At The West By Changing Its Stance On Iran

[Purveyor]

Source: Associated Press

March 19, 2014 - 2:20 PM

MOSCOW — Russia may revise its stance in the Iranian nuclear talks amid tensions with the West over Ukraine, a senior diplomat warned Wednesday.

Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said, according to the Interfax news agency, that Russia didn't want to use the Iranian nuclear talks to "raise the stakes," but may have to do so in response to the actions by the United States and the European Union.

The statement is the most serious threat of retaliation by Moscow after the U.S. and the EU announced sanctions against Russia over its annexation of Ukraine's Crimea region.

--CLIP
"We wouldn't like to use these talks as an element of the game of raising the stakes taking into account the sentiments in some European capitals, Brussels and Washington," Ryabkov was quoted as saying by Interfax. "But if they force us into that, we will take retaliatory measures here as well. The historic importance of what happened in the last weeks and days regarding the restoration of historical justice and reunification of Crimea with Russia is incomparable to what we are dealing with in the Iranian issue."

Read more: http://www.startribune.com/world/251027451.html

[geek tragedy]

1. Iran's already been brought to the table. Sure they can back away now, but

they damn well won't like the consequences.

Russia's economy isn't going to be strong enough to make up for another round of crippling sanctions on Iran.

[go west young man]

2. How many times are you going to be wrong about Russia's economy?

Their economy is their biggest success story.

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/countrytemplate_rs.html

http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2013/09/25/russian-economic-report-30

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_Russia

They're GDP is expected to grow at 1.8 percent this year after the rufus, down form 3.1 percent last year...their oil sales are expected to grow... their economy is still expanding so how can you logically state that they are going to be crippled? What is your logic based upon? Can you provide any evidence to back up your claims? Or are you gonna whip out another PEW poll for us?

[geek tragedy]

3. Russia's economy will be mediocre if they don't get hit with more sanctions

But, if they continue to threaten Ukraine, not to mention Estonia, or if they decide to torpedo the Iran talks, then they could face a much tougher hit.

Under no circumstances will Russia be able to bail Iran out if Iran gets tagged with more sanctions.

“The situation in the economy bears clear signs of a crisis,” Deputy Economy Minister Sergei Belyakov said in Moscow yesterday. The cabinet needs to refrain from raising the fiscal burden on companies, which would be the “wrong approach,” he said. “Taking money from companies and asking them afterward to modernize production is illogical and strange.”

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-03-17/russia-sees-economy-tipping-into-crisis-as-western-sanctions-hit.html

[Cali_Democrat]

5. LOL. Considering the size of their territory, natural resources and population...

their economy is a joke.

Don't kid yourself.

[go west young man]

10. The corporate propaganda machine has worked wonders on you guys.

The ironic thing is that the links I posted are US government or affiliated website links refuting your silliness. The CIA fact book literally speaks volumes as does the overview from the World Bank. Please provide some factual data or analysis for your simplistic trite posts. Ig your entire argument is based upon nationalism then you are doing a disservice to your country by not recognizing the obvious attributes of what you consider to be your opponent. With you guys on our side, Russia is sure to do well in the future.

[geek tragedy]

12. "with you guys on our side"

sorry, are we on the same side?

You certainly didn't think so when people were protesting the Sochi olympics.

maybe you will believe the Russian government--you seem to always believe them:

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-03-17/russia-sees-economy-tipping-into-crisis-as-western-sanctions-hit.html

“The situation in the economy bears clear signs of a crisis,” Deputy Economy Minister Sergei Belyakov said in Moscow yesterday. The cabinet needs to refrain from raising the fiscal burden on companies, which would be the “wrong approach,” he said. “Taking money from companies and asking them afterward to modernize production is illogical and strange.”

[go west young man]

15. The approach to matters....is the difference between us.

Bloomberg (top 1%, investor, Michael Bloomberg)...man almost as good as your Russian PEW polls. Here's the Ukraine you posted so hard for.

Congratulations on your choice. As far as the Olympics, you actually helped unite Russia more than ever for Putin and against gay rights. I told you the approach was wrong and it did backfire. The US lack of understanding of Russian culture was a huge part of the problem from the get go. Russia put on a great olympics in the end. The Russian people are proud of their country and rightly so, they have been kicked by the West for too long and deserved a day in the sun.

I don't subscribe to any nationalistic thinking as I am british, naturalized American, served in the US marines and have lived in Russia, Canada and Japan. Nationalism isn't my bag. It doesn't help an individual evolve on a personal level. Understanding the whole world and the human family is much more important to me. http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/ukraine-crisis/far-right-ukrainian-lawmaker-assaults-state-tv-boss-n56786

[ballyhoo]

7. I agree with you here. Not a doubt in my mind that Putin will

restore the Soviet Union no matter the sanctions. I would not be surprised if the Chicoms slip him money to attenuate the effects of any sanctions. And during all this, this will be happening here. Guess who comes out ahead in world favor?

http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/susan-jones/cbo-director-important-give-advance-warning-about-coming-changes-social

I have relatives that just returned from St. Petersburg. Their third trip there in five years. They adopted two of their children there years ago. They said they were treated well in Russia and actually liked the place. At least the place is not now run by oligarchs. I am no Putin fan but he appears to have slipped into leader mode as opposed to a thug one. I wish the Russian people well.

World is sure changing...

[erglerbergler]

8. Jesus

Is someone paying you to post this?

[ballyhoo]

9. Why would anyone pay me for posting anything? I am

old and remember America from long ago. I am excited for people in other lands trying to reclaim nationalities stolen from them from political tyrants. I was excited when the groups in New York tried to reclaim America for the people. That's just me.

[go west young man]

11. Your right...

while fools here worry about a country that is changing and that they have no power to stop....their own livelihoods and social security are being dismantled. Stalin couldn't have done what these guys are doing...better himself.

[ballyhoo]

13. Exactly........

My wife and I tried to escape to Maui for a week last week. You would not believe the cost of everything. I kept thinking as I was sitting on my $75.00 rented cabana chair looking out at people jumping off Black Rock into the beautiful blue ocean how few people could really afford to come here. Even the whales seemed a little cowed compared to last time. Won't go there again. I trust the beach chairs in heaven will cost less.

[go west young man]

18. Hope you had a good time.

Hawaii is expensive. Better to do it by cruise ship out of San Francisco or LA from what I've heard. Much cheaper and even more relaxing.
And $75 for a chair. I hope it was made of gold.

[ballyhoo]

21. That was the cost of the rental.......The

best part of the trip was I got to eat dinner at Mick Fleetwood's new restaurant in Lahaina. He has a band named Fleetwood Mac. It may have been before your time, although they just reformed with a few original, including Stevie Nicks, and started a new tour. I'll go if they come around me.

[go west young man]

24. Oh., I'm familiar with them...

I'm a Beatles/Stones/Queen guy. Grew up with it all Love most classic rock although I play Irish music myself. Not too shabby for a "Russia fan" I hope. Here's a musical gift for you.

The video is cheesy which is what is often cool about Russian culture but the song itself is very beautiful. It tells the story of an artist who sees his window as a painting and the rain is melting away the colors and with it the love he lost and wishes he could find again.

The guitar vibe is a bit like Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits. A lot of Russian bands like Chish and Time machine borrowed heavy from the West especially British bands from the 60's and 70's. Russians I have talked to tell me that Ronald Reagan didn't bring down the wall...rock music did.

[ballyhoo]

26. Thanks....

I know all of them. I am a big Mark Knopfler fan. He wrote and sang a song with Emmy Lou Harris named "If this is Goodbye" based on the final conversation between those two people, one in a plane, the other on the ground, right during the 9-11 horror. I don't think I am allowed to post music here with only 6 posts but it is a very sad, beautiful song that Emmy Lou and Mark deliver hauntingly well.

Well, it was nice talking to you. I hope I haven't made anyone mad. Russia is still in America 1957-1968 in many ways. If they are smart, they will stay that way. BTW, Queen was Lady Gaga's inspiration. I went to her Monsters Concert but stopped following her when she wore the meat outfit to an awards show.

If I am zoned for some of my posts above and don't see you again, good luck to you. Remeber: Living is about and for the people--not those that rule them.

[go west young man]

27. You won't get 'zoned' for those posts..

they look quite alright to me..opposing viewpoints are what make debates interesting. Welcome to DU by the way. Peace.

[totodeinhere]

14. "He appears to have slipped into leader mode as opposed to a thug one?"

Ask the LGBT community in Russia about that.

I continue to be amazed at the support Putin is getting at this supposedly progressive board.

[ballyhoo]

17. I supported him standing up for the Russians

who were forced to witness the the Victoria Nuland show. As far as his going into Estonia and/or East Ukraine or wherever, he would have to be asked by a large percentage of the people via elections monitored by some Nordic country not owned by Team Koch.

[totodeinhere]

19. Oh I see, just like the voters in Crimea were asked at gunpoint to vote

to join Russia.

[ballyhoo]

23. Were the referendum won by a close majority, I might take

your point. But not at 95 to 97 per cent-- There are bad guys in every situation. To me, the Crimeans wanted rapprochement with Russia after having had their country given away by Kruschev. They deserved it. Putin got a 24/7 port out of the deal that cost America million of dollars.

[blackspade]

30. 95-97% of people that.....

Voted. Not 95-97% of the population.
How many were excluded, intimidated, or stayed home in protest?

When voting is done at gun point and managed by right wing thugs you have election results like this.
Not the other way around.

And what about Ukraine? They are the ones that lost the port and a region, not the US.

[Bodhi BloodWave]

35. i would be interested in the numbers of the two first

but i have not one iota of sympathy toward those people who decide to stay home in protest, thats their own blasted idiocy at work.

I will be honest though, had I been a Crimean citizen during this vote and looked toward Ukraine(more austerity aka lower pensions, higher retirement age etc etc) then looked toward Russia(a doubling or tripling of pension, lower retirement age) then I'd likely have gone "who cares about this basket case, Russia here i come" (Admittedly the current government in Ukraine would also have played a significant part in me opting toward said vote)

[ballyhoo]

37. I just wonder how the Tartars voted........

[Bodhi BloodWave]

38. If most listened to their leader(or what title he/she has)

then most was asked to boycott the election i think(from what i read a while back), admittedly that choice in itself strengthened the 'Crimean to join Russia' vote.

I do think a number of them likely voted bot for the Russia vote as well as the 'remain with Ukraine but with the 1992 constitution' vote. (people quite often tend to do what they think are best regardless of what a leader says)

[geek tragedy]

20. how is bullying GLBT people "standing up for Russians"

And who exactly gets to vote on whether Russia launches wars of aggression against its neighbors?

[uncommonlink]

29. He'd better not go into Estonia,

they're a NATO member and any Russian incursion into Estonia would be met with a violent NATO response.

[ballyhoo]

31. Violent NATO response..........

.......I see...

[uncommonlink]

32. You think NATO would just stand by while Russian troops are invading?

No, they won't, but Russia won't invade Estonia, Putin and his military leaders know that Russian Armed Forces are no match for NATO forces and Putin doesn't strike me as insane or suicidal.

[ballyhoo]

33. I am not as sanquine about the power

of NATO as you are. There are other things happening right now in NATO countries that may make them reluctant to take on the country with the most nukes in the world--old nukes or not. But other enticements by Russia to former bloc countries will be offered, I'm sure. And we are talking 2020... I think East Ukraine will go next; it depends a lot on how easily Crimea went. Just my opinion based on what I am hearing abroad.

[OilemFirchen]

22. cnsnews:

State-run media of Palookaville.

[jakeXT]

4. Quick: Netanyahu orders IDF to prepare for possible strike on Iran during 2014

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon have ordered the army to continue preparing for a possible military strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities at a cost of at least 10 billion shekels ($2.89 billion) this year, despite the talks between Iran and the West, according to recent statements by senior military officers.

Three Knesset members who were present at Knesset joint committee hearings on Israel Defense Forces plans that were held in January and February say they learned during the hearings that 10 billion shekels to 12 billion shekels of the defense budget would be allocated this year for preparations for a strike on Iran, approximately the same amount that was allocated in 2013.

Some MKs asked the army’s deputy chief of staff, Maj. Gen. Gadi Eizenkot, and planning directorate official Brig. Gen. Agai Yehezkel whether they felt there was justification for investing so much money in those preparations, said the MKs present at the meetings, who asked that their names be withheld because of the sensitivity of the issue. They said some lawmakers also asked whether the interim agreement reached between Iran and the six powers in November 2013, and the ongoing negotiations for a full nuclear accord, had caused any change in the IDF’s preparations.

The IDF representatives said the army had received a clear directive from government officials from the political echelon – meaning Netanyahu and Ya’alon – to continue readying for a possible independent strike by Israel on the Iranian nuclear sites, regardless of the talks now happening between Iran and the West, the three MKs said.

http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/1.580701

[olddad56]

6. If the US and Russia continue to create situations where both leaders have to save face,

it could lead to a war that neither country can afford to fight.

[seveneyes]

16. 100% correct

This tit for tat can lead to getting many of us killed or ruined.

[OilemFirchen]

25. The thread before yours on Latest Replied,

sez that the Russians will simply move to alternate trading partners. This follows, of course, the hearty guffaw from Russian oligarchs. Both reported by the highly respected rt.com.

I sense a disconnect.

[Bodhi BloodWave]

36. i'd be inclined to agree but one could also look at it like this

for some of the affected people the said sanctions might be considered a joke and thus the 'claimed' guffaws, as a country though they can't accept the sanctions laying down as it would show to much weakness

Not sure which part is most accurate, likely a mix of the two

[DRoseDARs]

28. Yeah, because a nuclear-armed Iran won't come back and bite you on the ass...

If memory serves, Russia has its own problems with Muslim extremists. Just because you decide to have Iran's back now, doesn't mean they won't help jihadists acquire nuclear materials for terrorist attacks in the future. Sure didn't do us any favors when we armed the Mujahideen...

[Cha]

39. Right, DRoseDARs.. what a stupid thing to threaten with..

[Throd]

34. Wow, foreign policy as run by a moody 15 year old named Kaitlyn.

Maybe Putin will go Goth for his yearbook photo.

[davidpdx]

40. It's juvenile of Russia to use the nuclear talks as a tit for tat

Anyone that agrees with the idea that Russia should do so is saying that the major world powers should piss away the opportunity to have a peaceful relationship with Iran. It has taken years and a having a president in the US who is willing to start a constructive dialogue with Iran to move in the right direction. Russia is willing to say "it simply isn't are problem". What is next, Russia decides to back away from the six party talks with North Korea. Unbelievable!