Russia said it is in dialogue with Iran’s leadership but gave no details on possible help for Tehran
People take cover on the ground as sirens sound near the site of a fatal Iranian missile strike on Sunday, amid the U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran, in Beit Shemesh, Israel, March 2, 2026. PHOTO: REUTERS
Russia is providing Iran with targeting information that includes locations of United States warships and aircraft in the Middle East, the Washington Post reported on Friday, citing three officials familiar with the intelligence.
The extent of Russia’s support to Iran was not entirely clear, but the Iranian military’s own ability to locate US forces has been degraded since the US and Israel launched strikes against Tehran last week, the Post reported.
The war has since escalated, triggering retaliatory strikes by Iran and ensnaring its neighbours as it seeks to impose a high cost on the US, Israel and their allies.
The US military has identified six reserve soldiers killed in Kuwait when a drone slammed into a US military facility in Port Shuaiba. Trump and other senior officials have warned that the conflict will likely result in more US military deaths.
A White House spokeswoman did not directly comment on the alleged Russian support for Iran.
“The Iranian regime is being absolutely crushed. Their ballistic missile retaliation is decreasing every day, their navy is being wiped out, their production capacity is being demolished, and proxies are hardly putting up a fight,” White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said in a statement, responding to questions from Reuters.
Russia was in dialogue with representatives of Iran’s leadership, the Kremlin said on Friday. It declined to provide details when asked by reporters whether Moscow was helping Tehran.
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The conflict has been an unexpected shot in the arm for Russia, with a significant bump in demand for its oil and gas, boosting exports battered in recent years by sanctions linked to its war in Ukraine. The US has given Ukraine intelligence information during its war with Russia.
The Russian Embassy in Washington and Russia’s mission to the United Nations in New York did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The US-Israel war against Iran
The recent war began on 28 February 2026, when the US and Israel launched coordinated air and missile strikes against Iran in an operation aimed at crippling Iran’s leadership, military infrastructure and nuclear programme. The attacks targeted facilities in Tehran and other cities, as well as command centres and missile sites.
According to Reuters and other reports, the strikes were timed to hit senior Iranian leaders during a meeting of top security officials. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several senior commanders were assassinated in the initial wave of attacks.
The conflict stems from years of tension over Iran’s nuclear programme and ballistic missile development initiatives, which Israel and the US say are a threat to regional security.
Diplomatic talks earlier in 2026 aimed at limiting Iran’s nuclear activities failed to resolve key disagreements, raising fears of military confrontation.
Following the strikes, Iran retaliated with missiles and drones targeting Israel and US military facilities in the Middle East.
The fighting has caused hundreds to more than a thousand deaths and heightened fears of a wider regional war while disrupting energy markets and global security.
