This could be interesting. Both sides could come up with a diplomatic compromise and they would both have something to hold over Bush's head. Keep an eye on this, sports fans.




Russian President Vladimir Putin will show his preference for dialogue with Iran when he visits Tehran on Tuesday, amid calls from the West for stronger pressure on Iran to curb suspected plans for a nuclear bomb.

Putin, the first Kremlin chief to visit Iran since Soviet dictator Josef Stalin went in 1943, will formally be in Tehran for a summit of Caspian Sea states.

But a meeting with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad could give the Kremlin leader a chance to seek a peaceful compromise over Tehran's nuclear programme and to demonstrate his independence from Washington on Middle East issues.

"Putin is going to Iran to show the importance of continuing diplomacy," Kremlin deputy spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.


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"Putin is going to Iran to show the importance of continuing diplomacy

Putin should practice what he preaches. The only reason he is there is to show support for Iran and ensure that Iran remains their friend because of oil and natural gas contracts.

Gee that sounds a lot like the Cold War to me.

Since when has Russia favored diplomacy? As far as I know, only when they suggest we should be using it.

They will push diplomacy and if successful they will appear to be more concerned with world peace than the US. Putin wants Russia to return to importance on the world stage and he will use any technique to achieve that end.