Desk Report,
Why isn’t Putin defending Iran?
Supporting Iran, the most hated power, was profitable for Russia. While waging war in Ukraine, Vladimir Putin made conflict with the West the mainstay of his foreign policy. Against that backdrop, Russia benefited from leaning towards Iran and its partners.
Why isn’t Putin defending Iran?
At that time, Iran supplied Russia with Shahed drones. These drones were very necessary for Russia’s combat capabilities in Ukraine. Then, on October 7, Hamas attacked Israel. In response, Israel launched a brutal attack on Gaza. At that time, Russia was able to attract world public opinion to its side by exploiting pro-Palestinian and anti-Western sentiment.
But this strategy quickly became a thorn in the side of Russia. First, Israel destroyed Hamas and Hezbollah. Then, in April and October 2024, Iran directly attacked Israel. But the Iranian attacks caused very little damage.
It became clear in December 2024 when Syrian rebels ousted Bashar al-Assad from power. Assad was a longtime ally of Russia. Iran and Russia were still working together in some areas, such as electronic warfare or satellite development. They even signed a strategic partnership agreement in January 2025. But Russia did not provide Iran with the necessary assistance, such as advanced fighter jets or a powerful air defense system. If Iran had had them, it could have prevented an Israeli attack. At least, it could have prevented it better.
