Latest news with #RussiaIranRelations
Telegraph
25-06-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Iran's war with Israel could diminish Russia's supply of missiles
Iran's war against Israel could curtail Russia's supply of ballistic missiles from the Islamic republic. Western officials believe Tehran is likely to want to stockpile its own supplies rather than donating them overseas, as previously promised to Moscow. A senior Nato official said: 'The recent hostilities that we've seen between Israel and Iran certainly will negatively impact Iran's future donations, specifically missiles.' Russia would have to domestically produce its own missiles or lean on North Korea for supplies, they added. The source said they could also see the Islamic republic's support for Russia's own production of Iranian-designed attack drones diminish. However, this was unlikely to be a problem for Moscow, which now manufactures Shahed-type one-way attack drones itself. It was reported earlier in 2025 that Iran and Russia had reached an agreement for the Islamic regime to supply ballistic missiles for Vladimir Putin's war in Ukraine. The two rogue states have also signed a defence pact, promising to team up to develop their militaries. The Nato official said Moscow would probably use Israel's destruction of Iran's air defence systems 'opportunistically' to sell versions of its S-400 surface-to-air missile batteries. Russia's intelligence officers could also be dispatched to Tehran to study any data collected from Israel's F-35 missions over the country in recent days, it is understood.
The Independent
24-06-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Iran-Israel latest: Trump orders Israel ‘do not drop those bombs' as he accuses both sides of violating ceasefire
Kremlin rejects criticism it did not do enough to help Iran The Kremlin on Tuesday pushed back against criticism that it had not done enough to back Iran, saying it had taken a "clear position" by condemning US and Israeli strikes on the Islamic Republic. President Vladimir Putin has condemned what he called "unjustified" US attacks on nuclear sites in Iran, with which he signed a strategic cooperation treaty in January. He said on Monday that Russia would try to help the Iranian people, although he gave no specifics. Iranian sources told Reuters earlier this week that Tehran had not been impressed with Russia's support so far. Asked about comparisons to the toppling last year of Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad, when Moscow refused to send troops or more air power to keep its ally in power, the Kremlin said some people were trying to spoil the Russian-Iranian partnership. "Russia actually supported Iran with its clear position," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, adding that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi had appreciated Moscow's stance when he met Putin on Monday.
Russia Today
19-06-2025
- Politics
- Russia Today
Israel makes Iran-related promise to Russia
Israel has assured Russia it will guarantee the safety of Russian specialists working at Iran's Bushehr nuclear power plant, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said. Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum on Thursday, Peskov noted that 'just yesterday,' President Vladimir Putin referred to an understanding with Israel regarding the safety of Russian specialists working at the nuclear power plant. Peskov added that despite the current conflict, Russia maintains a partnership with Iran and a relationship of trust with Israel. At the same time, he acknowledged that unresolved issues remain and there is a need for mediation. On Wednesday, during a meeting with heads of international news agencies, Putin stated that Moscow had reached an agreement with the Israeli leadership that the safety of Russian personnel involved in building two additional units at the Bushehr facility would be ensured. The Russian leader said that resolving the conflict between Iran and Israel must take into account Iran's interests while also guaranteeing the security of the Jewish state. Moscow has been a key supporter of Iran's civilian nuclear program, most notably through its involvement in the construction of the Bushehr nuclear power plant. Originally launched by German firms before the 1979 Islamic Revolution, the project was revived in the 1990s when Russia's state atomic agency Rosatom took it over. The plant's first reactor was commissioned in 2011, and earlier this year, Tehran reported that construction of Units 2 and 3 had reached 17% completion. Israel launched strikes on Iran last Friday, claiming that Tehran is close to developing a nuclear weapon. Iran rejected the accusations and responded with a series of drone and missile attacks targeting Israel. The Israeli strikes have drawn international criticism, including from Russia, which condemned the attacks on Iran's nuclear infrastructure as 'illegal' and warned they could lead to a 'nuclear catastrophe.' Since launching its campaign against Iran, Israel has targeted uranium enrichment infrastructure, bombing centrifuge facilities and laboratories used to convert uranium gas into metal, according to Israeli officials and the International Atomic Energy Agency. The Russian Foreign Ministry has argued that Israel's actions violate international law and pose a threat to global stability.
Sky News
18-06-2025
- Politics
- Sky News
Donald Trump's comments about getting involved in Israel-Iran conflict are raising alarm bells in Moscow
Russia is getting nervous about Donald Trump's trigger finger, and it shows. Comments from deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov – warning the US against joining Israel's military campaign – betray Moscow's growing unease that it could be about to lose its closest Middle Eastern ally. Russia has strong ties with Iran, which have deepened since the Kremlin's invasion of Ukraine. These were formalised in a strategic partnership pact the two countries signed at the start of the year. Israel-Iran conflict - live updates So, at first, Russia seemed to view its ally's conflict with Israel as an opportunity to gain leverage. The Kremlin was quick to offer its services as a potential mediator. If Vladimir Putin could persuade Tehran to back down and return to nuclear talks with Washington, he'd potentially have a favour to cash in with the White House over its military support for Ukraine. But the offers to mediate fell on deaf ears. And with Mr Trump threatening to assassinate Iran's supreme leader, Moscow has switched to crisis mode – fearful of losing its second key regional ally in six months, after the fall of the Assad regime in Syria. So, as well as Ryabkov, other senior figures have taken to the airwaves. Russia's spy chief Sergei Naryshkin called the situation "critical". 34:31 And, according to ministry of foreign affairs spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, the world is "millimetres away from catastrophe" due to Israeli strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities. It's quite the spectacle – a country that's been waging war on its neighbour for more than three years is now urging others to show military restraint. That's because US involvement poses serious consequences, not just for Iran, but for Russia too.
Al Arabiya
18-06-2025
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
Putin eyes peacemaking role in Israel-Iran war
Vladimir Putin is eyeing the conflict between Israel and Iran as an opportunity to thrust himself to the forefront of the international stage, more than three years into his invasion of Ukraine. The Russian president has pitched himself as a possible mediator -- though Moscow's closeness to Iran and Russia's invasion of Ukraine raise doubts about what kind of role he can play, experts say. The assault on Ukraine and the war in Gaza have strained Moscow's traditionally good relations with Israel, home to a large Russian-born community. At the same time, Russia has deepened military ties with Iran. But while Moscow was quick to condemn Israel's strikes on Iran last Friday, Putin also wasted little time phoning both Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian to offer his role as a peacemaker. 'By positioning itself as an indispensable intermediary, Moscow aims to reassert diplomatic relevance despite its pariah status in Europe,' said Nicole Grajewski, an analyst at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. It also wants to protect its ally Tehran, facing a potentially existential military clash. 'Russia does not want to see regime change in Iran, especially if it results in a pro-Western government,' she added. Moscow and Tehran in January inked a far-ranging strategic partnership agreement to broaden military ties, and Kyiv and its allies have long accused Iran of supplying Russia with drones and short-range missiles. 'Not objective' Russia is also seeking to regain influence in the Middle East following the fall of ally Bashar al-Assad in Syria. 'The regime change in Syria caused it to lose ground,' said Tatiana Kastoueva-Jean of the French Institute of International Relations. Russia has previously used the region to boost its international standing. After being hit with sanctions for the annexation of Crimea, Russia 'emerged from international isolation' by 'becoming indispensable in the region,' Kastoueva-Jean said. Specifically, by backing Assad in the Syrian civil war and supporting the 2015 Iranian nuclear deal. However, Moscow's much closer alliance with Tehran this time around could disqualify it from playing the role of trusted mediator. 'Since Russia is seen as Iran's ally, and they have a strategic partnership agreement, such mediation would not inspire confidence in Europe. Nor in Israel,' Russian political analyst Konstantin Kalachev told AFP. 'A mediator should not sympathize with one side,' he added. French President Emmanuel Macron is among those to have pushed back at the idea of Putin as a moderator. 'I do not believe that Russia, which is now engaged in a high-intensity conflict and has decided not to respect the UN Charter for several years now, can be a mediator,' he said over the weekend. And asked if it had received a response to its overtures, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Tuesday that Moscow saw 'a reluctance, on the part of Israel, to resort to any mediation services or to embark on a peaceful path towards a settlement.' 'Woo Trump' One person who does not seem concerned at a possible role for Russia is Donald Trump, who said he was 'open' to Putin playing middleman. The US President is pushing his own rapprochement with Putin in a complete overhaul of the West's attempts to isolate and punish him for the Ukraine offensive. Putin may welcome the opportunity to shift the conversation with the White House just as Trump grows increasingly frustrated over Russia's ongoing attacks on Ukraine and failure to strike a peace deal. 'Russia is trying to woo Trump on issues that go beyond Ukraine,' said Kastoueva-Jean. Even before Israel launched its wave of strikes on Iran last Friday, Putin was offering to help secure a deal between Iran and the United States over Tehran's nuclear programme. But for many the idea of Putin playing peacemaker, more than three years into his invasion of Ukraine is a worrying prospect. 'It would legitimize Russia as an indispensable great power at a time when it is waging the biggest war of aggression on European soil since World War II,' said Anna Borshchevskaya, an analyst at The Washington Institute.
