Suspicious bind: Iran’s relationship with Russia

Decision-makers in Tehran are developing the Iran-Russia relationship in significant ways, but they seem careful not to fully turn away from the West and towards Moscow

Iranian leaders remain deeply suspicious of Russia – a sentiment rooted in a history of betrayal. Against this backdrop, Iran’s political elites divide into two main groups in their views of Russia.

One group favours strong ties with Russia as expedient to the survival of the Iranian regime and as a counterbalance to the US military presence near Iran’s borders. The Trump administration’s 2018 decision to withdraw the US from the nuclear deal and its policy of maximum pressure on Iran increased support for those advocating an alliance with Russia. This group includes Khamenei, his confidants such as foreign policy adviser Ali-Akbar Velayati and Majlis Speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf, top commanders in the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), clerics who lead Friday prayers, and executives at conglomerates with close ties to the state. They share the Kremlin’s concerns about the threat from the West (including NATO expansion) and seek stronger bilateral cooperation to shield Iran from Western sanctions and military strikes.

The second group, known as the ‘pragmatists’, comprises moderate and conservative politicians who see Russia as an important neighbour but reject efforts to strengthen strategic ties with the country. They believe that it is valuable for Iran to keep its options open with the West and to avoid excessive dependence on Moscow. The members of this group include former foreign minister Javad Zarif, former president Hassan Rouhani, and Ali Shamkhani, who currently serves as secretary of the Supreme National Security Council. All three call for de-escalation with the West. Moderate former IRGC commander Hossein Alaei, another member of the group, has vigorously challenged Russia’s attitude towards Iran in not only the war in Syria but also the energy sector, UN Security Council votes, and arms deals. In April 2021, Zarif criticised Moscow for stonewalling in nuclear talks with Tehran in 2014 and 2015, attempting to sabotage the JCPOA, and exploiting Iranian land forces in Syria. In March 2022, when Iran and the US seemed to be on the verge of finalising a plan to restore the JCPOA, the Kremlin disrupted the process by suggesting that Ukraine-linked Western sanctions on Russia would damage the prospects of achieving this. Shamkhani implicitly expressed dismay with Moscow by saying that “40 years of experience has taught our people that relying on Western or Eastern powers will neither guarantee our rights nor our security.”

Given their distrust of both Russia and the West, Iranian decision-makers have long viewed their country as a desperate lonely strategic actor.

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This Article does not negate anything ostadan Faramarz ,Shahryar and other doostan gerami have been saying, but strengthen their views.

Can a tragedy become a comedy?

To advance to the 1/8th final, the most important thing is Queiroz's belief in his team's ability to score goals. You can't climb without scoring. Attacking is necessary to score goals.

Ahura Jahaniyan, Asr-iran - The choice of Queiroz as the head coach of the Iranian national team in the 2022 World Cup, morally or not, has finally been decided, and in the two and a half months left until the World Cup, there should be no further discussion about this choice.

The national team with Queiroz, due to his defensive style of play, can have a significant hope of not coming out of the field as a loser against Wales and USA. Although, if Queiroz can build a team with the defensive quality of four years ago in this short time until the World Cup, it is not strange not to lose in the game against England.

But it has been said that history occurs twice. Once in the form of tragedy, once in the form of comedy. The tragic elimination of Queiroz's team in the 2018 Cup may take on a comic look this time. That means this time with a coach who is skilled in the defensive game, we will score goals and then be eliminated!

The door does not always turn on one heel. In the match against Argentina in the 2014 Cup, Iran's national team definitely played a beautiful and excellent defense. But if we were to be unlucky or a little unlucky in that game, and the first chance for Argentina's goal leads to the opening of our goal, or one out of three chances for Argentina's goal is turned into a goal, we will definitely leave the field of that match with several goals conceded. 

Marcello Lippi made Italy the world champion in 2006 and had a disastrous year in 2010. He was made coach of Italy again to renew and repeat the honor; But what should not have happened but did.

In today's world football, if you don't have a plan b, even if you are Guardiola, you will fail. Queiroz does not have a plan b. If we are not lucky against England or America like in the game with Morocco (in the 2018 Cup) and we concede a goal at the beginning of the match, what is the plan b to get out of the crisis? nothing Queiroz did not have a plan b with Cristiano Ronaldo in the 2010 Cup. Therefore, it is unlikely that he has a plan b with Taremi and the test.

Queiroz's other problem in this cup may be the problem of his compatriot Jose Mourinho. The football world read Mourinho's hand. This is why Mr. Khas is no longer surprising. Even Guardiola can no longer win the European Champions League; Because the antidote to his tactics has been taken by others. Despite the richness of his defensive tactics, Simone is also suffering from the same problem in the Champions League. Mancini's hand was called after the European Nations Cup and his team was wasted. This danger definitely threatens Queiroz as well.

Carlos Queiroz should change his team's playing style to some extent according to the potential of this team. If everything is the same as before, it is unlikely that a better result will be achieved than before. We may not even get an "honorable elimination" this time. Putting this team together with a striker means axing the root of the team's offensive potential.

The national team was divided in the last few months. The stronger band opposed Skocic. Queiroz is back but won't the weaker Bond, who was defending Skocic, create a margin? Will a coach whose contract is only for two and a half months have enough authority to deal with the minority gang (players unhappy with Skocic's dismissal)?

It all depends on who. It should be seen how this great psychologist wants to bring unity and empathy back to this divided team. The emotional void of Karim Bagheri's departure cannot be easily compensated. Karim Bagheri played an important role in returning Taremi to Skocic's team. In football, small events can lead to big disasters. Let alone leaving Karim!

Another problem of Queiroz  is that the current Biranvand is not ready and stable as four years ago. And that the richness of this team is in its offensive line and not in its defensive line.

However, we can be sure that Queiroz makes a good defensive line. And we can hope that this defensive line will not be opened in the first half hour of the game against England. If we survive the first half hour of the World Cup, maybe we will get another proud elimination. And maybe something more.

Despite their names and facilities, England and America are not poisonous teams. They do not play harm. But to advance to the 18th final, the most important thing is Queiroz's belief in his team's ability to score goals. You can't climb without scoring. Attacking is necessary to score goals.

With one or two attacks during ninety minutes, you can't have much hope of scoring. Even if Queiroz cannot define a plan b for his team, he should include three to five goal-scoring attacks in his team's plan.

پس از حمله سایبری به آلبانی، کشور عضو ناتو، اعضای پیمان آتلانتیک شمالی (ناتو) درباره احتمال استفاده از ماده ۵ پیمان ناتو علیه ایران تصمیم‌گیری خواهند کرد. ماده ۵ این پیمان مربوط به اقدام جمعی علیه تهدیدکنندگان است.

Mehr News – MOSCOW, The Russian men’s national football team has announced upcoming friendly matches against Kyrgyzstan and Iran, with the latter likely to take place in Tehran, according to Russian football federation.

Russian teams at all levels remain banned from UEFA and FIFA competitions following the onset of Moscow’s military campaign in Ukraine – a situation which prevented the men’s team from attempting to qualify for the 2022 Qatar World Cup, Russia Today reported.

But they can play friendly internationals and will take on an Iran team that will play at the World Cup in a group alongside the USA, England, and Wales.

The Iranians will host the Russian team managed by Valeri Karpin in a game planned for November, with a date and location to be confirmed but which will likely take place in Tehran, according to Match TV.