KATHMANDU — Iran has said that Russia and China are providing strategic and military cooperation as tensions continue between Tehran and the United States and Israel.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi made the statement during an interview with the U.S. television network MSNBC, describing Russia and China as strategic partners for Iran during the ongoing conflict.
Araghchi said Iran has maintained close cooperation with both countries for many years and that the partnership continues during the current situation, including cooperation in the military field.
Reports and International Reactions
Recent international media reports have suggested that Iran appears to have detailed information about U.S. military infrastructure and recent operational activities while carrying out attacks. Those reports prompted speculation that Russia may have been providing intelligence information to Iran.
U.S. President Donald Trump also commented publicly on the issue, saying Russia could be offering some form of support to Iran. Trump said that just as the United States has supported Ukraine in its war with Russia, Russian President Vladimir Putin might be providing limited assistance to Iran.
Russia–Iran Relations and Military Context
Relations between Russia and Iran have gradually expanded since the collapse of the Soviet Union. The relationship became stronger after Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
During the war in Ukraine, Western officials accused Iran of supplying Russia with “Shahed” drones along with other military equipment. Reports later indicated that production of the drones began inside Russia following the transfer of Iranian technology.
However, analysts say Russia may find it difficult to provide large quantities of weapons to Iran because much of its military equipment is already being used in the war in Ukraine. There are also concerns that openly supplying weapons to Iran could lead to a stronger response from the United States and Western countries.
Even without direct weapons transfers, some analysts say Russia may still be sharing strategic or intelligence information with Iran, a possibility that Araghchi’s remarks appear to partially acknowledge.
