U.S.-Russia row over energy, not missiles

TEHRAN, July 9 (UPI) -- The U.S.-Russian row over missile defense is a ruse meant to cover the notion that Cold War dynamics are manifested now in the energy sector, Iranians say.

U.S. President Barack Obama met with top-ranking officials in Moscow this week to repairs relations damaged in part due to spats over American plans for a missile defense shield in Central Europe.

Maksud Djavadov, an Iranian political analyst, writes for the state-funded Press TV that the missile defense system dispute pales in comparison to conflicts in the regional energy sector.

Djavadov argues that Russia is doing "everything it can" to make sure it remains in a dominant position in the European energy market.

Meanwhile, Washington has tacit control over much of the Persian Gulf reserves and subsequently has its own lingering influence in the European energy sector.

"Therefore, the United States is stimulating an artificial conflict with Russia on European soil," he said of the strategic dispute with Moscow.

Meanwhile, U.S.-backed allies are jockeying for control over natural resources in Azerbaijan in an effort to ease energy dependency on Russia. Europe hopes to secure gas from Azerbaijan for its Nabucco pipeline, though a Russian deal for Azeri gas could undermine that effort.

Djavadov argues that, with this energy conflict in mind, the Central European mission shield is not the focal point of the U.S.-Russian relationship.

"Rather it is a competition for dominating the world energy markets," he concludes.