Russia positioning itself for more influence in the Middle East

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said on Friday that he knows certain players are planning an attack against Iran, and that Russia was opposed to any unilateral step or military solution to solve the Iranian nuclear crisis. "The world does not need to tighten its sanctions on Iran at this time," he said while addressing a forum of opinion makers in Moscow. In response to a question posed by Haaretz on Russia's plan to host a Middle East conference, Medvedev responded, "When it [Russia] proposes a mediation service, its sole intention is to assist in bringing about a peace that both Jews and Arabs will enjoy."

In related developments, on Friday Russia announced that it would assist in renovating a Syrian port in Tartus used by a Russian fleet, in a signal to establish more of a Russian presence in the Middle East. Naval chiefs from both countries met on Friday to discuss ways to strengthen mutual trust and understanding. The Russian Itar-Tass news agency reported on the story, which did not appear in the Syrian press. Syrian-Russian relations weakened following the end of the Cold War, but the latest port agreement and efforts by Syrian President Bashar Assad to purchase weapons from Moscow are signs of a growing and improving relationship.

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