Publication

This brief argues that Russia has served as the gatekeeper of international pressures on Iran and Syria. These nations, along with Hezbollah and Hamas, constitute the Middle East's anti-Western 'axis of evil'. However, in assessing Russia's role, it is necessary to distinguish between two issues: international pressure on Syria in the wake of its brutal suppression of the popular uprising and developments stemming from the publication of the International Atomic Energy Agency’s report on Iran’s nuclear program.