Perhaps most worrying of all the Iranian war-games coincided with two massive operations in Kazakhstan, by the SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organisation) and the CSTO (Collective Security Treaty Organisation), both launched on August 24.
The CSTO, Rubezh-2006 exercise, organised by Russia and involving Tajikstan, Krygistan and Kazakhstan took place near port city of Aktau in Kazakhstan. Kazakhstan also took part in the SCO operation with China, police and special forces units from both countries took part in the exercise Tianshan one in the Almaty region near China, which is thought to have been closely co-ordinated with the Russian CSTO and the Iranian exercises.
Russia and China have signed a military cooperation agreement and are the main suppliers of advanced weapons to Iran and Syria
The joint drills in Kazakhstan are thought to have come in response to mis-trust of the U.S intentions in the region,
the threat of attack on Iran,
the U.S navy’s involvement in the re-building of Kazakhstan’s navy since 2003,
and Iranian fears that the U.S is attempting to build up their ally Azerbajan to counter Iranian influence
The Kazakhstan exercises were undoubtedly both preparation for a U.S attack on Iran
and a warning that if Iran is attacked, Russia and China won’t remain neutral.
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