Russia goes to bat for Iran every time Iran is about to find
its’ ass is in a sling and Russia, unlike the US, tends to avoid
working against it’s own interests. If Iran is training Chechens
you can bet it is no secret to Russian intel. Looks like disinfo
to me but on the other hand my knowledge is just as super-
ficial as everyone elses.
Most of what you wrote is absolutely true, but let’s see it from the other side:
It is very hard to understand the Russian policy re Iran. Would Russia really want a radical Islamic power armed with nuclear weapons on its southern border?
On the other hand Russia needs the money, and given that this article was written in 2005, one can guess that Russia wanted some counterweight to the American presence in Iraq.
But, whether Iran supports radical Chechens or not - and I think it is very likely they do, or at least did - the Russian policy seems to be very shortsighted. A nuclear Iran will put pressure on Saudi Arabia and the other Sunni countries around the Arbian (Persian) Gulf, and of course Israel will be in a serious dilemma. In the power game betwen Russia and the West this is of course an advantage for Russia, but Russia has enough problems with its southern provinces, without adding the risk of nuclear technology (”dirty bombs” to start with) spreading among the Islamist/nationalists in the various “-stans”. (Same with China who has a growing problem in the Xinjiang (Shinjang) province.)