The Kremlin could offer support and international legitimacy to the new rulers in Damascus in exchange for being allowed to keep its military bases in the country. 

The Kremlin sees its anti-Western alliance with Tehran as testing a new model of international relations—and does not want it stymied.

While the prospect of a full-scale war between Iran and Israel is a worry for the Kremlin, it could also have a significant financial upside for Russia.

A steady flow of Russian weapons to Tehran could change the balance of power in the region, potentially triggering a response from the United States and Israel. 

Reform-minded voters in Iran oppose close cooperation with Russia and would like to see their country normalize relations with the West.

There are so many economic, political, and military factors pulling Moscow and Tehran closer together that individuals are almost irrelevant. 

We appear to be witnessing the emergence of a united front against Washington that extends from the Baltic Sea to the Persian Gulf.

Moscow has little to gain from a major flare-up in the Red Sea, which means Washington’s efforts to stop Houthi attacks on shipping are likely to be quietly welcomed.

Events in the Middle East have helped the Kremlin convince itself that Russia’s foreign policy in recent years has been the right one.

After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russia actively borrowed Western—primarily European—legal and bureaucratic practices. Now that the European path appears to be closed off entirely, the Middle East is fast emerging as an alternative route.