Reza Talebi, a journalist, said that Russia has used military cooperation with the Islamic Republic to advance its own interests and is trying to maintain the balance of power between Tehran and Washington.

According to him, Moscow neither wants to strengthen the Islamic Republic too much nor weaken it to the point that the United States gains the upper hand.

Talebi added that Donald Trump will likely try to use Russia’s influence over the Islamic Republic to bring Tehran back to the negotiating table and to secure the Strait of Hormuz. By pointing to the role of energy, the war in Ukraine, and China’s importance in these equations, he said that there are serious doubts about Moscow’s sincerity in mediation.