Why were the Russians and Chinese dragging their heels on Iran sanctions?

One cornerstone of Chinesew foreign policy is that a country’s internal affairs are that country’s internal affair. The only exception I can think of in the past 50 years is the Chinese acquiesence for the US led invasion of Afganistan.

China sees meddling in a country’s ‘internal’ affairs as a slippery slope. China could itself come under attack for policies in tibet, inner mongolia, manchuria, xinjiang and border disputes with russia, india, philippines, viet nam, malaysia, indonesia, etc.

personal gain from Iran specifically (access to oil) may be a factor but the chinese have always supported non-interference in sovereignity issues.

I think the Russians and Chinese are being realistic-they realize that the present Iranian regime is transitional-it will be gone in 10-15 years. The radical Islam of Iran is not compatible with a modern state.
So why not get the contracts, while there are $$ to be made?
The next government in Iran may well default on its obligations.
The youth of Iran does NOT ant a 13th century governement-only we in the USA seem to be blind to that!:smack: