The Inside Story Podcast How is the Iran war affecting Russian-Iranian ties?
Apr 7, 2026
Maximilian Hess, policy analyst on Russia–Iran ties; Afshin Shahi, Middle East historian; Leonid Ragozin, Russia/Eurasia journalist. They discuss Moscow’s strategic balancing with Washington, two centuries of fraught Russia–Iran history, Iran’s 2022 drone support and Russia’s shifting reliability, possible Russian intelligence aid, and how higher oil prices benefit Moscow.
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Russia Gains From Distraction Of A New Middle East War
- Russia benefits financially and strategically from a US–Israel confrontation with Iran, which diverts attention and resources from Ukraine.
- Leonid Ragozin cites a Pettersson Institute estimate of at least $45 billion gain for Russia from higher oil prices and depleted Western munitions for Ukraine.
Tactical Alignment Not Deep Alliance
- Russia and Iran aligned tactically since Putin's return, driven by shared opposition to the US rather than deep strategic trust.
- Maximilian Hess notes defence and intelligence ties in Syria helped Assad but Russia withheld its most advanced systems and acts opportunistically.
Iran Supplied Drones That Jumpstarted Russia's Campaign
- Iran supplied Shahid drones (renamed Geran) early in the 2022 invasion, materially helping Russia when Ukraine lacked a clear drone advantage.
- Leonid Ragozin explains Russia later mass‑produced and improved those designs, reducing dependence on Tehran.