Russian military officials have quietly been supporting Iran with weapons and information as the crisis in the Middle East escalates, it has emerged.
A strategic alliance between the two hostile nations, reports the Washington Post, has seen Russia supply an array of artillery to Iran, including prized anti-aircraft launchers and drones.
The reported deals are evidence of a concerning dynamic between the two nations, which experts warn show Iran is growing in strength and negotiating power as it barrels towards war.
'It’s no longer the patron-client dynamic, where Russia holds all the leverage,' said Hanna Notte, director of the Eurasia Nonproliferation Program at the James MartinCenter for Nonproliferation Studies.
'The Iranians are accruing benefits from this change. The nature of their relationship has gone beyond just getting things. There’s knowledge transfer, there’s intangible gains.'
Experts warned that the growing relationship between Russia and Iran took a large step forward in 2022, when Iran agreed to help bolster the invasion of Ukraine.
This agreement saw Iran supply thousands of battlefield drones and missiles, a move that the Kremlin has reportedly been interested in reciprocating.
Russia has vowed to support Iran with air defense technology and advanced fighter jets, particularly as it is facing the possibility of counter strikes from Israel in the wake of its halted attack on Tel-Aviv last week.
Intelligence officials and weapons experts told the Washington Post that the supply of weapons to Iran make it a far more formidable military in modern warfare if it has an enhanced ability to shoot down planes and missiles.
Such a capability was shown in full force following Iran's strikes on Israel, as international allies helped shoot down almost all drones heading to the nation.
In particular, Iran is said to covet Russia's S-400 anti-aircraft launchers, which military analysts say are able to detect and destroy stealth fighter jets operated by Israel and the United States.
The Iranian air force is primarily made up of rebuilt US and Soviet jets from before 1979, however intelligence officials warned that Russia has been 'advancing' a deal to supply Su-35 fighter jets.
The fighter jets would be a significant upgrade on Iran's fleet, however the officials reportedly said there is no evidence they have received them yet, which may be due to a delay in payment.
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