Russia remains a loyal friend to Iran, says Putin

Politico reported that Moscow proposed a quid pro quo to Washington: the Kremlin would stop sharing intelligence with Iran if Washington ceased supplying Ukraine with intelligence about Russia, but the US rejected the idea. The Kremlin has dismissed the report as fake.

Russia was deprived of an ally when the US toppled Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, though Moscow has benefited from the high oil prices triggered by the US and Israeli attacks on Iran, a strategic partner.

The published strategic partnership does not contain a mutual defence clause, and Russia has repeatedly said that it does not want Iran to develop an atomic bomb, a step that Moscow fears would trigger a nuclear arms race across the Middle East.