₦airaland Forum

2x Russian Geran(Russian Sahed Variant) strikes on a Ukrainian 36D6 mobile 3D Radar and its mobile power generator in the Chernihiv Region.

Interesting use of Saheds, but definitely effective, both Radar and the generator were completely destroyed as a result of the strike. pic.twitter.com/ymeg7icQJX

— WarVehicleTracker🇵🇱 ☧ (@WarVehicle) July 13, 2025

LordAdam16:
It is a little bit of both.

Again, I'll use NK as an example.
Russia joined the enforcement of nuclear sanctions against North Korea.
Even China did, and they used it to secure leverage over North Korea.
North Korea could not do anything without China's say-so, because China linked its enforcement of sanctions on NK to NK willingness to be China's vassal.

It's a bit of an abusive relationship.
But that's the status quo.
Until the start of the Ukraine war.
Faced with time-sensitive demand for shells, Russia discarded its old policy and struck a direct deal with North Korea.
North Korea's total export in 2023 was around $2.5B. Russia paid at least $5.5B for North Korean shells.
They've expanded the relationship. Troops and workers go to Russia. Russia helps with military modernization and more.
China of course does not mind this new rapport. Takes some economic weight off their shoulders.

But you can note the dynamic relationship between what should be three very tight allies.

---

If Iran, today, decides to get a nuke as North Korea did in the mid 2000s, Russia will do nothing.
It will however tell the Hegemon that it wasn't particularly pleased with Iran's decision.
It wouldn't declare war on Iran, nor will it end all cooperation but there'll be theater that's simultaneously legitimate and performative.

For reasons best known to the Mullahs, they've decided not to acquire a nuke.
That is their decision. They have a right to it. I and billions more disagree with this decision, but we're only observers.
Russia is now in a historically difficult spot where they have to simultaneously be against and implicitly be indifferent about Iran's nuclear program.
Like China was throughout NK's ordeal.
Publicly, China was against NK acquiring a nuclear weapon.
Clandestinely, they were facilitating the transfer of nuke tech from their program and Pakistan's program to NK.
But it wasn't always performative, CCP general secretary Hu Jintao did send Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing to negotiate with Kim Jong Il to halt the nuclear program. China has a formal defense treaty with only one country. North Korea. So it does not implicitly believe that North Korea needs a nuclear weapon when NK is vital to China's national security. To Beijing, its defense treaty is a sufficient ironclad guarantee. Maybe NK can toy with nuclear development for strategic reasons, but a nuclear weapon wasn't necessary in China's opinion.
But like Israel, NK got nukes anyway.
Make you wonder why Iran arrogantly refuses to get one when Israel and NK with their respective ironclad security guarantees opted to get nukes.

---

In my opinion, I feel the times have changed, and these smokes and mirrors are not necessary anymore.
If you recall, China adopted that stance because it desired big concessions from the US.
Admission to WTO. Transfer of global manufacturing to China. Favored trading status.
It was on a path to an economic miracle, and it did not want the Kims f*cking up their plan to raise 600m from poverty.

Since we're pushing for a multipolar world and the Hegemony is right now prosecuting wars to scuttle this new paradigm, you'd expect that these old conventions would be history.
Stick to the Iran has a right to nuclear enrichment that has been the public position for decades at this point.
Why flip when the Hegemon is killing Russian soldiers in a proxy conflict?
That is emasculating. One would say cowardly.

It's not that Russia is saying we'd stop ongoing construction of nuclear reactors.
Putin sees an opportunity to make Iran a client state and he is pouncing.
Right as China is displacing Russia as Iran's primary partner.
If Iran cannot enrich uranium, and have to get it from Russia, that's phenomenal leverage for Russia.

---

It is astonishing that Putin does not see the similarity of his flipped position to Tsarist Russia and its bitter history with dynastic Persia.
Of all the times to do this, he chose after Iran had performed admirably as an ally in Russia's war and in the middle of Western aggression on Iran. Maybe he thinks since everyone is taking turns in swindling the mullahs, he should have a got?
Needless to say, it is a stunning own goal.
Russia will not lose sleep if Iran somehow ends up keeping its enrichment capability after more rounds of conflict or negotiations.
It wouldn't care if Iran got a nuke, Medvedev said about as much.
That's just the nature of geopolitics. But there was an opportunity to turn a page here on Iran-Russia relations that appeared to have been entering a new golden age after Syria, Ukraine, and large materiel orders. And Putin blew it spectacularly.

PS: And yes, that article does a fine job of tarnishing Putin and Russia's reputation on the global stage. Israel has undeclared nukes and the US backs their every action but Russia is at least appearing to actively deprive Iran, a so-called close ally it claimed to had offered a defense agreement, of a premier security guarantee for a mix of selfish and untenable reasons. It's pretty much the press version of "Global South, is this your champion?"

PPS: Iran has publicly disavowed the report. But that's pretty much par for the course. I am eager to read the Kremlin's response.
It'll be instructive if they finally abandon the public veneer. Because at least publicly, they still maintain that Iran has a right to a peaceful nuclear program, which at least implies semantically that Iran has a right to pursue nuclear enrichment. Privately, however, I am certain Putin has communicated his acceptance of a potential paradigm where Iran does not conduct enrichment. I don't think he'll appreciate this new geopolitical pressure but he made his bed.

-Lord

WritterNg:
⚡Russian Foreign Ministry:

The Axios publication claiming that Putin allegedly urged Iran to accept a nuclear deal with the U.S. is a "dirty, politicized campaign."

Masterviolence:
You're right that the JCPOA recognized Iran's right to enrich uranium for peaceful purposes, and Russia supported that agreement back in 2015. They didn’t object to Iran enriching uranium up to 3.67% under strict monitoring by the IAEA.

But things have changed since then mostly because Iran is now enriching uranium far beyond JCPOA limits, up to 60%, and restricting international inspections. That’s much closer to weapons-grade material. Russia hasn’t openly condemned Iran for this, but it also hasn’t supported those actions. In fact, Russia has been calling for all parties to return to the original JCPOA terms.

So why the change in tone?

It’s not that Russia suddenly agrees with U.S. or Israeli demands. It’s that Russia, simply put "doesn’t want Iran to develop nuclear weapons" not because it’s siding with the West, but because a nuclear Iran could trigger a dangerous arms race in the Middle East. That’s a threat to Russia too, especially since the region is close to its borders and Russia has relationships with both Iran and countries like Israel and Saudi Arabia.

Also, there have been credible reports especially during the original JCPOA talks, that Russia offered to store Iran’s enriched uranium or even supply Iran with pre-enriched uranium for peaceful nuclear use. This would let Iran keep its nuclear energy program without building up large amounts of enriched uranium inside the country. That proposal was seen as a way to build trust and prevent weaponization.

And yes, Russia has previously offered to take enriched uranium from Iran and possibly convert it back for civilian use, as part of a compromise.
This isn’t about “betraying” Iran. It’s about Russia protecting its own interests while still opposing Western dominance. Multipolarity doesn’t mean automatic support for everything a partner does, it means acting independently, even if that means disagreeing sometimes.

While the United States particularly under the leadership of Donald Trump has often acted with a sense of bravado and impunity, believing it can dictate terms on the global stage, it is, in fact, Iran that has significantly complicated the situation by being slow-witted.

Initially, Iran agreed to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) based on concerns surrounding nuclear proliferation and in exchange for sanctions relief.
Trump’s subsequent actions namely his decision to withdraw from the JCPOA stemmed from the deal's failure to address critical issues such as Iran’s ballistic missile program and other classified activities. His administration aimed to negotiate a more comprehensive agreement that would effectively eliminate any pathway for Iran to eventually acquire nuclear weapons.

Now that Trump has returned to office and has attempted, through arrogant diplomatic channels, to bring Iran back to the negotiating table, progress has been sluggish. With reports suggesting that Iran is mere days away from achieving weapons-grade nuclear capability, Trump had to bomb Iran to look strong.

Let us be clear, Iran has repeatedly claimed it has no intention of developing nuclear weapons. If that is truly the case, then the presence of uranium enriched well beyond civilian energy needs despite Iran’s commitments under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) raises serious questions about its intentions.

Iran cannot acquire nuclear weapons by accident. It is a deliberate path, one that requires either a firm commitment to abandon all military nuclear ambitions or a decisive move toward them. There is no ambiguity in such a consequential choice.

This is one of the rare occasions where Russia and the United States appear to be aligned in their stance. Acquiring nuclear weapons will now prove significantly more difficult for any nation.

Olatunji1929:
I knew this Axios is only parroting western propaganda and Mr writterng is helping them to spread the propaganda on nairaland

WritterNg:
⚡Russian Foreign Ministry:

The Axios publication claiming that Putin allegedly urged Iran to accept a nuclear deal with the U.S. is a "dirty, politicized campaign."

LordAdam16:
Yea, this is worse than the penultimate response.

No, the only options available to Iran are not acquiring a nuke or abandoning the entire program altogether.
That is untrue.

Has Japan abandoned its entire program altogether?

---

You're trying to twist yourself into pretzels to make excuses for Putin.
I'll save you some trouble. There is none.
No allow Putin stain your white.

We made a light joke out of Lavrov offering to sell enriched uranium when he should be transferring jets and AD systems.
While Iran already enriches uranium.
We can connect dots.
We know obvious fake news. This is not that.

---

And do not take this as a personal attack.
All I'm saying is that this is not the hill to die on.

If a Western report opines that Xi has told the US and Europe that he privately told Putin to accept an unconditional ceasefire, which we all know is a terrible move; everyone will be like f**ck off with that BS.
We've seen Kim's response. On both Russia and Iran.
We've seen Xi's response.
Why always Putin?

Iran has been having regular tripartite meetings on this nuclear issue with China and Russia.
It had two in short succession while the negotiations showed promise.
The meetings were arranged to coordinate the Axis position.
That position was Iran's red line on enrichment.
The Axis has a unified position but Putin and Lavrov are playing devil's advocate and undermining it.

So if a war starts with China today and everyone in the Axis agrees on one position, they'll start dropping lamba about Russia's European roots and what not in the middle of the fighting.

---

As far as I'm concerned, if they do not have weapons to deliver, they should shut up, take several back seats, and focus on Ukraine.

-Lord

LordAdam16:
Do you have a link to the full statement?

-Lord

LordAdam16:
Yea, this is worse than the penultimate response.

No, the only options available to Iran are not acquiring a nuke or abandoning the entire program altogether.
That is untrue.

Has Japan abandoned its entire program altogether?

---

You're trying to twist yourself into pretzels to make excuses for Putin.
I'll save you some trouble. There is none.
No allow Putin stain your white.

We made a light joke out of Lavrov offering to sell enriched uranium when he should be transferring jets and AD systems.
While Iran already enriches uranium.
We can connect dots.
We know obvious fake news. This is not that.

---

And do not take this as a personal attack.
All I'm saying is that this is not the hill to die on.

If a Western report opines that Xi has told the US and Europe that he privately told Putin to accept an unconditional ceasefire, which we all know is a terrible move; everyone will be like f**ck off with that BS.
We've seen Kim's response. On both Russia and Iran.
We've seen Xi's response.
Why always Putin?

Iran has been having regular tripartite meetings on this nuclear issue with China and Russia.
It had two in short succession while the negotiations showed promise.
The meetings were arranged to coordinate the Axis position.
That position was Iran's red line on enrichment.
The Axis has a unified position but Putin and Lavrov are playing devil's advocate and undermining it.

So if a war starts with China today and everyone in the Axis agrees on one position, they'll start dropping lamba about Russia's European roots and what not in the middle of the fighting.

---

As far as I'm concerned, if they do not have weapons to deliver, they should shut up, take several back seats, and focus on Ukraine.

-Lord

FoolishBoy419:
🚨🇫🇷🇧🇫 BREAKING: FRENCH President Macron claims he "will do everything possible to save the people of Burkina Faso from Ibrahim Traore."

FoolishBoy419:
🚨🇫🇷🇧🇫 BREAKING: FRENCH President Macron claims he "will do everything possible to save the people of Burkina Faso from Ibrahim Traore."

23jerryking:
Oga save France first 🙄🙄

FoolishBoy419:
🇦🇺 “We don’t discuss hypotheticals.”

Australia refuses to pre-commit to any role in a Taiwan conflict — despite U.S. pressure on allies.

Canberra is keeping its cards close.

Good for you. Those that want to fight China should do it alone.

LordAdam16:
Yea, this is worse than the penultimate response.

No, the only options available to Iran are not acquiring a nuke or abandoning the entire program altogether.
That is untrue.

Has Japan abandoned its entire program altogether?

---

You're trying to twist yourself into pretzels to make excuses for Putin.
I'll save you some trouble. There is none.
No allow Putin stain your white.

We made a light joke out of Lavrov offering to sell enriched uranium when he should be transferring jets and AD systems.
While Iran already enriches uranium.
We can connect dots.
We know obvious fake news. This is not that.

---

And do not take this as a personal attack.
All I'm saying is that this is not the hill to die on.

If a Western report opines that Xi has told the US and Europe that he privately told Putin to accept an unconditional ceasefire, which we all know is a terrible move; everyone will be like f**ck off with that BS.
We've seen Kim's response. On both Russia and Iran.
We've seen Xi's response.
Why always Putin?

Iran has been having regular tripartite meetings on this nuclear issue with China and Russia.
It had two in short succession while the negotiations showed promise.
The meetings were arranged to coordinate the Axis position.
That position was Iran's red line on enrichment.
The Axis has a unified position but Putin and Lavrov are playing devil's advocate and undermining it.

So if a war starts with China today and everyone in the Axis agrees on one position, they'll start dropping lamba about Russia's European roots and what not in the middle of the fighting.

---

As far as I'm concerned, if they do not have weapons to deliver, they should shut up, take several back seats, and focus on Ukraine.

-Lord

WritterNg:
https://tass.com/politics/1988927

WritterNg:
⚡The Russian Foreign Ministry has denied media reports that Moscow allegedly called on Iran to accept a deal with the United States on the "zero enrichment" of uranium.

The ministry stressed that the article of the American portal Axios is part of "another dirty politicized campaign that is being launched to escalate tensions around the Iranian nuclear program."

Masterviolence:
I hope LordAdam16 will interpret this carefully because I told him about unverified report in our last discourse.

WritterNg:
Lol.

Make he save him marriage with Brigitte first.

Video: https://t.co/L8RoHgrg6a

— Faytuks Network (@FaytuksNetwork) July 13, 2025

FoolishBoy419:
🇦🇺 “We don’t discuss hypotheticals.”

Australia refuses to pre-commit to any role in a Taiwan conflict — despite U.S. pressure on allies.

Canberra is keeping its cards close.

Good for you. Those that want to fight China should do it alone.