Publication

This monograph traces the Russian elite's views of Iran over the past 20 years. It deals with the actual implementation of policies only insofar as this helps elucidate the images of Iran and the ideological aspect of the Russian/Iranian relationship. The author identifies trends in these views, from a Eurasian approach focused on building a lasting alliance with Iran to a view that advocates using Iran as a bargaining chip in dealing with the West. A more guarded view of Iran has become dominant in the past years, the author argues, and is likely to continue in the near future despite vacillations in Russian foreign policy.