Russia and Iran only pretending to be allies while hiding mutual hostility, says Ukrainian intelligence
Photo: Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian (Russian media)
Russia and Iran are only pretending to be allies. In reality, the two countries view each other as potential adversaries, according to the press service of the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine.
"Despite public rapprochement, relations between Russia and Iran are fraught with mistrust and hidden rivalry," the intelligence service emphasized.
This, in particular, is reflected in mutual espionage and conflicting geopolitical interests.
The Foreign Intelligence Service recalled that back in June, during the 12-day war between Israel and Iran, Seyyed Mohammad Sadr, a member of Iran’s Expediency Council, accused Russia of passing intelligence to Israel on the locations of Iranian air defense systems. He noted that this demonstrated the futility of an alliance with Moscow.
"Russia only verbally condemned Israel’s attack on Iran. But in practice, it assisted it," Sadr said.
The intelligence service also noted that after 2022, Russia invested heavily in Iran and by 2024 became the country’s largest foreign investor. In 2023, the volume of Russian investments reached $2.7 billion, and Moscow pledged to invest another $8 billion into Iran’s oil and gas sector.
In Bushehr, a Russian nuclear power plant is operating, and construction of a second unit is underway. In Hormozgân province, Russia is building the Sirik thermal power plant. Russian oil company ZN Vostok is active in Iran, with major projects including the Rasht-Astara railway, financed by Moscow, and a gas pipeline through Azerbaijan.
"However, these ambitious plans are under threat. Historical mistrust, reinforced by current conflicts of interest, makes the alliance between the two regimes illusory. Moscow is losing not only Iran, but also its status as a global player in the Middle East," the Foreign Intelligence Service stressed.
Did Russia help Iran during the war with Israel?
Earlier, in an interview with RBC-Ukraine, Israel's Ambassador to Ukraine, Michael Brodsky said he had no information suggesting that Russia might have helped Iran during its war with Israel.
