The day Russia didn't show up for Iran

The day Russia didn't show up for Iran by Martin Fornusek March 1, 2026 2:43 PM 6 min read Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian sign a strategic partnership treaty during a ceremony following their talks at the Kremlin in Moscow on January 17, 2025. (Evgenia Novozhenina /POOL/AFP via Getty Images) Russia by Martin Fornusek Russia's image as a reliable ally has suffered yet another blow as Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in joint U.S.–Israeli strikes across Iran on Feb. 28, marking a fresh outbreak of hostilities in the Middle East. So far, Moscow 's response to the U.S.–Israeli bombardment of hundreds of targets in Iran has been limited to diplomatic support for Tehran, even as U.S. President Donald Trump has openly called for a change of regime . The latest development highlights Iran's junior role in its partnership with unsteady Russia, while Moscow's focus on the war in Ukraine leaves it little means to rush to Tehran's aid. "I don't really see Russia coming to the rescue of Iran," Olli Ruohomaki, a Middle East expert at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs, told the Kyiv Independent, describing their relationship as largely "transactional." Become a member – go ad‑free "Russia is pretty entangled in the Ukrainian war. They are fully committed and already struggling... It's not like Russia has all these resources to fight many fronts." While Iran has provided Russia with drones and other arms for its war in Ukraine, Moscow has since then localized production of its Shahed offshoots. And although Russia also gains economically from this relationship, trade with non-sanctioned partners such as China and India remains far more crucial. Tehran, in turn, has increasingly leaned on Moscow for security and economic needs amid mounting U.S. pressure and domestic unrest, reinforcing the relationship's asymmetry. Limits of military ties The two countries have deepened military cooperation since the outbreak of...