In a move representative of Vice President Biden’s call to “press the reset button” on American-Russian relations, President Obama sent a letter to Russian President Medvedev seeking stronger cooperation on halting Iran’s nuclear program. The letter, hand-delivered in Moscow three weeks ago by top US officials, raises the possibility of stopping the deployment of a missile defense system in Eastern Europe if Russia helps prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon. President Medvedev called the message a positive step but indicated that the missile defense and Iran questions are two separate issues.
Strongly opposed by Russia and perceived as a direct threat to its national security, the missile defense system was designed to deter Iran from launching a long-range missile and protect against a possible Iranian attack. For weeks, experts have hinted that the contentious issue could be used by the Obama administration to encourage stronger Russian support in diplomacy with Iran. If Iran does not produce nuclear warheads, the strategic value of the defense system is arguably lost. Russia’s active involvement in negotiations could reduce the likelihood that Iran will successfully develop nuclear capabilities. The offer, however, poses problems for Poland and the Czech Republic whose leaders agreed to the system despite internal opposition.
This development comes on the heels of Iran’s first firing of a satellite into orbit in early February. The launch, set to coincide with the 30th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution, signals Iran’s improved ability to deliver warheads using long-range missiles.
Photo from Gerard Cerles/Agence France-Presse – Getty Images. Graphic from the Economist (original source: Missile Defense Agency).
