White House responds to reports that Russia is helping Iran target US forces in Middle East
Russia has been providing Iran with intelligence used to target U.S. military personnel in the Middle East, the Washington Post reported on March 6, as the White House dismissed concerns about the claim.
According to three unnamed officials, Moscow has supplied Tehran with information on the location of U.S. military facilities — including ships and aircraft — since the escalation between the United States, Israel, and Iran began on Feb. 28. One source described the support as "comprehensive."
The reported intelligence sharing marks a potential escalation in Russia's role in the conflict and signals indirect involvement by another major U.S. adversary in the Middle East crisis.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt dismissed concerns about the report in an interview with Fox News on March 6, adding that the administration does not comment on "intelligence reports leaked to the press."
"Whether or not this happened, frankly, it does not really matter, because President Trump and the United States military are absolutely decimating the rogue Iranian terrorist regime," Leavitt said.
A U.S. official told the Washington Post that Moscow may view the move as retaliation for Washington's military support for Ukraine since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022.
The development comes as the Trump administration remains engaged in talks with Russia about potential economic cooperation, with proposals suggesting deals worth up to $14 trillion.
At the same time, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on March 5 that Ukraine could assist partners, including the United States, in countering Iranian Shahed-type attack drones.
Since the escalation began, Iran has launched thousands of attack drones and hundreds of missiles against U.S. bases, diplomatic facilities, and civilian targets across the Middle East.
Six U.S. service members were killed and several others injured in an Iranian drone attack in Kuwait.
The crisis began after Israel and the United States launched coordinated strikes against the Iranian theocratic regime on Feb. 28, targeting military infrastructure and senior leadership.
Russia condemned the strikes, with its Foreign Ministry calling them "an unprovoked act of aggression against a sovereign and independent state," despite Moscow's own full-scale war in Ukraine.
Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen warned that Russia is targeting Americans around the world.
"Make no mistake: Russia is targeting Americans in the Middle East, Ukraine and around the world," she said. "Instead of taking action, President Trump is relaxing sanctions on Russia and refusing to support Ukraine. It's unacceptable and invites further aggression."
Iran has been one of Russia's closest partners since the start of the full-scale war. Tehran supplied Moscow with Shahed-type attack drones, which Russia later adapted into its own Geran-series drones for repeated strikes on Ukrainian cities and critical infrastructure.
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