Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Russian President Vladimir Putin reaffirmed their ties and discussed "joint infrastructure projects" during a recent conversation.
The two leaders shared "their satisfaction with the current level and development dynamics of Russia-Iran relations," the Kremlin said in a readout of the call on Monday, noting that they "discussed bilateral cooperation in various spheres, including the implementation of joint infrastructure projects."
US HAS 'GROWING CONCERN' OVER CHINA'S RELATIONSHIP WITH RUSSIA
Tehran and Moscow's relationship has continued to blossom in recent months as Putin was isolated from the global stage for his invasion of Ukraine. Tehran provided a lifeline to Putin as Russian forces repeatedly failed to accomplish their goals in Ukraine.
Iran's involvement in the war is "expanding," a U.S. national security council spokesman said on Feb. 24.
"We have additional information that Iran's support for Russia's war is expanding. In November, Iran shipped artillery and tank rounds to Russia for use in Ukraine. Russia is planning to cooperate with Iran to obtain more military equipment in return," National Security Council coordinator John Kirby told reporters on Friday. "Russia has been offering Iran unprecedented defense cooperation, including on missiles, electronics, and air defense. We believe that Russia might provide Iran with fighter jets."
"Iran is also seeking to purchase additional military equipment from Russia, including attack helicopters, radars, and combat trainer aircraft. In total, Iran is seeking billions of dollars worth of military equipment from Russia," he added.
In the fall, Iran provided Ukraine with hundreds of unmanned drones that Russian forces ultimately used to target Ukrainian infrastructure and its energy grid. Kirby had warned about the possibility late last year that Russia and Iran could set up a joint production line for the drones in Russia, but he has not confirmed that it has actually occurred yet.
Kirby, who previously served as the Pentagon spokesman, said at the time that the Iran-Russia relationship "is transforming ... into a full-fledged defense partnership."
Dana Stroul, the deputy assistant secretary of defense for the Middle East, noted at a media roundtable in January that the threats from Iran are increasing. The ramifications go beyond just its neighbors in the region.
"Now I think the key takeaway is what has — we've seen in the Middle East is not staying in the Middle East," Stroul said. "The Iran-Russia increasing alliance, the proliferation of UAVs to Russia, and the possibility that there's contemplation of the transfer of ballistic missiles to Russia for use in Ukraine is both a call for the entire global community to — to step up, in how we counter the Iran threat, and very specifically to take a firm stance against Russian-Iranian cooperation."
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Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin is on a trip to Egypt, Israel, and Jordan, where he's expected to meet with counterparts with an emphasis on Iran.
"He will obviously be speaking about the unprovoked war of choice by Russia and Ukraine," a senior defense official said on Friday. "He will share his views about the imperative of increasing support to Ukraine now. He will also talk about the strategic implications of increasing Russian-Iranian military cooperation, which right now is killing Ukrainians but, eventually, will come back with significant and negative security consequences for the Middle East."