Photo: ZN
The war is somewhat advantageous for Russia. Russia is increasing intelligence sharing and military cooperation with Iran, providing satellite imagery and new drone technologies to help Tehran strike US forces more accurately. According to The Wall Street Journal, Moscow aims to support its ally in the Middle East against United States and Israel while prolonging a war that brings it both military and economic benefits.
The technologies provided include components of modified Shahed drones, which improve communication, navigation, and strike accuracy. Moscow also shares its experience using drones in Ukraine, advising on the number of drones to deploy during attacks and optimal launch altitudes. According to the report, Russia provides Iran with data on the locations of US military forces and positions of US allies in the region. This cooperation intensified with the onset of the war, and recently Moscow began directly sending Tehran satellite imagery. Analysts note that this assistance resembles the intelligence that the US and European allies have provided to Ukraine in recent years.
“If the satellite images provided by Russia include accurate information on aircraft types, military facilities, air defense systems, or fleet movements, and this is valuable to Iran, then such intelligence can truly help them,” said Jim Lamson, a research fellow at King’s College London and former CIA analyst specializing in Iranian armed forces. One official noted that Russia is providing data collected by its satellite fleet, operated by the Russian Aerospace Forces, which gathers intelligence for military operations.
Russia’s ability to assist Iran is limited by the war in Ukraine and Kremlin caution to avoid provoking US President Donald Trump. Although Moscow could provide significantly more support, the current level still plays an important, though limited, role in Iran’s military operations, Lamson said.
“The categories of assistance, including satellite data and drone usage advice that Russia provides, are limited but still useful for the war and enable Iran to strike specific military targets accurately,” noted the former CIA analyst.
The WSJ reports that the war is somewhat beneficial for Russia because the US is using up interceptors needed by Ukraine for air defense. Additionally, the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, through which one-fifth of global oil and LNG flows, has increased oil prices — a key source of revenue for the Russian economy. Meanwhile, the Trump administration eased restrictions on purchasing Russian oil to slightly lower prices.
The war also creates risks for Russia, especially if Iran’s leadership changes, but Moscow continues to support its ally and weaken US positions. According to Samuel Charap, a senior Russia and Eurasia expert at the RAND Corporation, even with Vladimir Putin’s personal relationship with Trump, the Kremlin still views Washington as a primary strategic rival.
“This is a chance to experience what we provide to others — that is, US intelligence support to Ukraine,” Charap said. Notably, Iran initially began supplying drones to Russia in 2022, which were widely used in daily attacks on Ukraine. Later, Russia built its own Shahed drone factory with Iran’s assistance.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy believes that Russia is currently supplying Iran with weapons, including electronic components for Shahed kamikaze drones. He emphasized that this electronics has been recovered from drone debris used by Iran to attack countries in the Middle East.
US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth commented that Trump is fully aware of these contacts, and the US tracks these actions and factors them into operational plans.
Meanwhile, on March 11, the Kremlin stated that Russia maintains constant contacts with Iran’s leadership. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that, as Putin has emphasized, Moscow is always ready to do everything possible to restore peace and stability in the region.
