Biden's team is very anti-Russian in its ideology: Russian expert

A Russian expert believes the Biden administration is anti-Russian and needs to prove its seriousness through sanctions on Moscow.

"Biden's team is very anti-Russian in its ideology, at the same time thy need to show their seriousness with anti-Russian sanctions to prove they are «more effective in a struggle with Moscow» than Trump," Stanislav Mitrakhovich from the National Energy Security Fund and the Financial University tells the Tehran Times.

U.S sanctions on Russia are not limited to political struggles between two powers; it is a competition over economic interest.

"Washington will intensify its war against Nord Stream 2 project," according to Mitrakhovich.

Observers say that U.S. policy on Nord Stream 2 is mainly dictated by a bipartisan approach of lawmakers led by Texas Senator Ted Cruz.

They are insisting on sanctions on all companies engaged in the project, eventually including German ones. For this group of lawmakers, especially Cruz, the U.S. response to Nord Stream 2 boils down to one aim: A harsh stance against Russia.

However European countries, see Nord Stream 2 as strengthening the EU's energy security and believe that U.S. hawkishness on Russia is unconstructive. In the long term, Europe considers the relations with Russia as a clear-eyed and cautious step to get rid of America's hegemony.

American policymakers need to acknowledge other powers, including Russia and China.

"Without modern and strengthened Russia and China, American — actions definitively might have been much harsher," the Russia expert emphasizes. "One can easily remember wars against Serbia and Iraq just one decade ago."

Now Vienna talks about reviving Iran's nuclear deal (signed in 2015) is going on; Iran is negotiating with five powers that remain in the agreement - France, Germany, Britain, China, and Russia.

Political pundits believe that China and Russia had a crucial role in balancing Western powers' demands.

On the one hand, Iran says that the nuclear deal won't be restored until Washington lift all sanctions reimposed on Iran by the Trump administration. On the other hand, American diplomats are making every effort to retains some parts of relabeled sanctions on Iran.

Nevertheless, Mitrakhovich notes that "current talks are still on a preliminary stage because the U.S. and Iran can't talk face to face openly and need mediators. Sanction's lift is still long away from the current moment."

Afghanistan is the other point that reflects confrontation between Russia and the U.S.

U.S. administration is going to withdraw American troopers from Afghanistan by September 11, declaring an end to the nation's longest war.

Biden, in fact, is overruling warnings from Pentagon that the departure could prompt a resurgence of the same threats that sent hundreds of thousands of troops into combat over the past 20 years.

In rejecting the military advisors' push to remain until Afghan security forces can assert themselves against the Taliban, Biden forcibly stamped his views. Now, after 20 years of

American military presence in Afghanistan, the American president is doing things his way.

But many experts rule out America's pullout from West Asia because it has vital interest there.

"Washington won't leave the Middle East (West Asia); it's a region of interest for any world superpower," Mitrakhovich argues.

Asked about Russia's desire to consolidate its ties with Iran after Iran-China's 25-year partnership agreement, the Russian academic points to the Iran-Russia strategic cooperation deal, saying that "the deal could develop much more and benefit from Iran joining Eurasian Economic Union and in case of Iran's willingness to increase technological import from Russia (importing Russian machinery, etc.)."

On March 27, Iran and China signed a 25-year strategic cooperation agreement addressing economic issues amid crippling U.S. sanctions on Iran.According to the report, the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership agreement covers a variety of economic activities from oil and mining to promoting industrial activity in Iran and transportation and agricultural collaborations.

The deal marked the first time Iran has signed such a lengthy agreement with a major world power. In 2001, Iran and Russia signed a 10-year cooperation agreement, mainly in the nuclear field, that was lengthened to 20 years through two five-year extensions.

By Mohammad Mazhari

The Tehran Times, April 30, 2021