1/ Russians shouldn't help to defend Iran, suggests Russian journalist and politician Andrei Medvedev. He argues that Iran was a long-time enemy of Russia and more recently merely a fair-weather friend that only ever did what it thought would most benefit it at the time. ⬇️ 
2/ Medvedev, the Deputy Chairman of the Moscow City Duma and deputy general director of the All-Russia State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company (VGTRK), writes:
"Dear friends, do you know what the "Shia Eight" is? Well, let me remind you."
"Dear friends, do you know what the "Shia Eight" is? Well, let me remind you."
3/ "These are eight Shia parties in Afghanistan that united in the 1980s to fight the Soviet army, to wage jihad against the USSR. The Nasr Party, the Hezb-e Allah Party, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of Afghanistan, the United Front for the Islamic Revolution,…
4/ …the Islamic Movement of Afghanistan, the Council of Islamic Accord, the Islamic Revolutionary Movement, and the Organization of Fighters for Islam in Afghanistan. There was also the "Peshawar Seven" in Afghanistan, but that's a whole other story.
5/ "So, the "Shia Eight" traces its roots to two movements: Shabab al-Hazara, which emerged in the 1960s, and the Shia party, the Revolutionary Council of Islamic Accord of Afghanistan, led by the Hazara politician Sayed Ali Bihishti.
6/ "Where did the Shia, Hazara movements in Afghanistan come from? Who assembled the "G8" for jihad against the Russians? It was Iran, the ayatollahs.
7/ "All the G8 leaders (many still alive) recognized Imam Khomeini as the leader of the Shiite world and pledged allegiance to the idea of spreading the Iranian Islamic revolution to Afghanistan and the rest of the world.
8/ "Group bases, mujahideen training centers, and party headquarters were located in the Iranian cities of Qom, Mashhad, and Taybad. Initially, party fighters were recruited from Afghan labour migrants in Iran—primarily Hazaras, as well as Tajiks and Charaimaks.
9/ "Then, starting in 1980 [after the Soviet invasion of Aghanistan on 25 December 1979], refugees began pouring in, and recruitment intensified.
10/ "Once again. Shiite parties and their fighters were overseen by Iran. They were armed by Iran. They trained in Iran. And they killed Soviet soldiers. For the sake of the idea of an Islamic revolution and a pro-Iranian Afghanistan.
11/ "So, when some comrades are now shouting that Russia should immediately start practically fighting for its Iranian brothers, I want to remind you that Iran, in its relations with Russia, has always acted out of its own interests.
12/ "And sometimes, as we see, it even fought against Russia. Years later, ironically, those same Khazar militants fought in Syria alongside the Russian army against the Islamists. Because it was beneficial for Tehran and for us.
13/ "Russia's national interests are the only possible guideline for our foreign policy. And not the interests of supposed partners who were enemies yesterday, and whoever they will be tomorrow, God knows."
Russian analyst Igor Shishkin forcefully rejects Medvedev's argument:
Russian analyst Igor Shishkin forcefully rejects Medvedev's argument:
14/ "So there you have it. Iran, the Shiites, and the Ayatollahs—all of them enemies of Russia, now being destroyed by America and Israel.
15/ "So, instead of being indignant, we should rejoice and send congratulatory telegrams to Trump and Netanyahu—they avenged the blood of Soviet soldiers spilled in Afghanistan.
16/ "Naturally, Andrei Medvedev chose not to inform his readers that it was the United States, through the hands of Muslim radicals, that waged the war against the Soviet Union in Afghanistan.
17/ "Nor did the entire network of similarly disguised "Russian nationalists" who reprinted Andrei Medvedev's "revelation." If, until recently, anyone might have had any questions about who this network of self-proclaimed "Russian nationalists" was working for…
18/ …(whether consciously or not is irrelevant), specializing in inciting interethnic and interreligious hatred in Russia, then after such a blatant revelation, I believe those questions have disappeared.
19/ "Someone will ask: "Why did they expose it so blatantly and openly?"
The answer is obvious – such networks are nothing more than expendable material.
The answer is obvious – such networks are nothing more than expendable material.
20/ "The reputation of "our" Donald Fredovich [Trump] urgently needed to be saved: without him, without loyalty to the "spirit of Anchorage," Russia cannot be forced into the Grand Bargain, and Trump lacks the ability to assassinate Russia's leadership, like he did Iran's.
21/ "So, they have to throw everything they can into the firebox."
Meanwhile, the jailed Igor 'Strelkov' Girkin argues for a policy of maximum Russian military support, as impractical as this may currently be:
Meanwhile, the jailed Igor 'Strelkov' Girkin argues for a policy of maximum Russian military support, as impractical as this may currently be:
22/ "For my part, if I had the opportunity, I would provide Iran with all the necessary military assistance, including the most modern weapons and the specialists to maintain them. Because US missiles and bombs are exploding in Kursk and throughout our border regions.
23/ "American tanks are firing at our soldiers, and American satellites are guiding American bombs and shells. We are effectively at war with the United States, which is fighting us through the hands of the duped Russians—the so-called "Ukrainians."
24/ "Therefore, I believe any actions aimed at providing armed resistance to this American military machine are justified on our part. And we can and should help Iran with all available means—because Iran is essentially fighting against our enemy." /end
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