In what is being reported as the first indication that Russia might be seeking to get involved in the war US and Israel launched against Iran a week ago, officials familiar with US intelligence have reportedly said that Moscow shared information with Tehran that could aide the Iranians in striking American warships, aircraft as well as other assets.
The US intelligence has not uncovered that Russia is directing Iran on what to do with the information as the US and Israel continue their bombardment and Iran fires in retaliation, the Associated Press reported, citing two officials familiar with US intel who spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorised to comment publicly. Track latest in US-Iran fighting here
If at all the claims by the two above-mentioned sources are true, it is the first indication that Moscow has sought to get involved in the war that the US and Israel launched on Iran a week ago.
Russia is in among the few countries that maintains friendly relations with Iran, which the US has for long accused of pursuing a nuclear programme it wants to dismantle and has also faced isolation over its support of proxy groups, including Hezbollah, Hamas and the Houthis.
Downplaying the reports that Russia was sharing intelligence with Iran about US targets in the region. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt on Friday told reporters that “it clearly is not making any difference with respect to the military operations in Iran because we are completely decimating them.”
‘US tracking everything’, says Hegseth
Defence secretary Pete Hegseth told a CBS “60 Minutes” interview on Friday that the US is “tracking everything” and factoring it into battle plans, when asked about the reports Russia was aiding Iran.
“The American people can rest assured their commander in chief is well aware of who’s talking to who,” AP quoted him as saying in the interview. “And anything that shouldn’t be happening, whether it’s in public or back-channelled, is being confronted and confronted strongly.”
Leavitt did not comment on whether Donald Trump had spoken to Russian President Vladimir Putin about the reported intelligence sharing or if he believed Russia should face repercussions, saying she would let the president speak to that himself.
The intense missile and drone exchange that has shaken the entire Middle East region was triggered by the US-Israel strikes on Iran on February 28, that led to the death of Khamenei last weekend, and Tehran’s retaliatory fire which has targeted the entire Gulf.
Asked whether Russia would go beyond political support and offer military assistance to Iran, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said there has been no such request from Tehran.
“We are in dialogue with the Iranian side, with representatives of the Iranian leadership, and will certainly continue this dialogue,” he said Friday.
Peskov refrained from commenting on whether Moscow has provided any military or intelligence assistance to Tehran since the Iran war’s start.
Russia has bettered its relationship with Iran as it sought badly needed missiles and drones for use in its four-year war against Ukraine.
