Why Did Russia and China Not Come to Iran's Aid?
Russia and Iran have been noted as becoming ever closer together as their anti-west viewpoints increasingly converge. Most notably, Moscow and Tehran signed a partnership treaty to bolster cooperation between the two countries. It must be noted that this is not a defense pact, meaning neither country is obligated to come to the defense of the other in a time of conflict. The main fear of certain analysts was the possibility of Russia, China, or possibly North Korea, coming to the direct defense of Iran should it be attacked. When Israel launched a surprise attack on Iran just a few weeks ago, anxieties increased dramatically. This fear was brought to new heights when the United States bombed Iranian nuclear sites directly, a bold move for an administration that has claimed it wants to see peaceful resolutions to global conflicts. The strikes came and went, Iran struck land near a U.S. military base in Qatar as a form of retaliation-despite the U...