RUSSIA TO DEFEND IRAN WITH NUCLEAR WEAPONS

"Russia's military chief of staff (Gen. Yuri Baluyevsky) said Saturday that Moscow could use nuclear weapons in preventive strikes to protect itself and its allies (like Iran)... "
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5i1fg9K4w_OQvYX65kemvhiOOJTZAD8U92Q881

"... The China-Iran-Russia alliance can be considered as Beijing's and Moscow's counterpunch to Washington's global ambitions. From this perspective, Iran is integral to thwarting the Bush administration's foreign policy goals. This is precisely why Beijing and Moscow have strengthened their economic and diplomatic ties with Tehran. It is also why Beijing and Moscow are providing Tehran with increasingly sophisticated weapons..."
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/China/GF04Ad07.html