Despite Barack Obama's declaration that relations between Moscow and Washington have been reset, the US has yet to get firm Russian support for imposing further sanctions on Iran.

Russia says now is not the time to pressure the Islamic Republic as talks between Iran and the west look set to develop.

For now a compromise on the Iranian nuclear issue has been reached but as yet no conclusions on any future course.

Will Russia eventually adopt Washington's stance towards Tehran's nuclear programme?

Will friendlier US-Russian ties dampen Iran's nuclear ambitions? And will Russia repay the US for cancelling the missile defence shield it planned to install in Eastern Europe?

Inside Story discusses with guests Alexander Pikaev, who is at the Institute of World Economy and International Relations and also works as an advisor to the state duma, Syed Mohammad Marandi, a professor at Tehran University, and Richard Weitz, a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute.

This episode of Inside Story aired from Wednesday, October 14, 2009.