The sources said Iran has proposed to abide by a 1921 treaty that would
give Russia the right to station troops. They said the proposal, supported
by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, was meant to end a dispute with
Moscow over the Caspian.
    Under the proposal, Teheran would abandon its claim for 20 percent of
the crude oil and natural gas in the Caspian. Instead, Iran would agreed to
11 percent of the resources.
    Ahmadinejad also wants Iran to join the Shanghai Group, a security
cooperation regime that includes China and Russia. The sources said
Ahmadinejad believes an Iranian alliance with China and Russia could deter
the United States.