ABSTRACT
Russian-Iranian relations have been very nuanced and complicated since the 19th century. Moreover, the Russian Federation became the successor of the Soviet Union which was of particular importance for Iran especially in light of prior agreements from Soviet times. The Iran-Russia relations became strained when Russia reached a consensus with the United States in 1995. Daniel Byman et al. claim that, in this period, Iran had no other choice but to cooperate with the Russian Federation. Although the Russian Federation did not oppose peaceful use of nuclear energy by Iran, it expressed concerns about the Iranian secrecy surrounding the program. Despite many historical differences, a lack of mutual trust, and often divergent interests, Iran and the Russian Federation remain allies under Hassan Rouhani's presidency. In 2013 Rouhani described the Russian Federation as a state which "has a special place in Iran's foreign policy".
