Iranian FM Araqchi: Cooperation with Russia is not news or a secret

Iran's Foreign Minister, Abbas Araqchi, has stated that his country's cooperation with Russia is a long-standing reality and not a new development. He made these remarks while commenting on recent media reports suggesting Moscow might be providing support to Tehran amid its tensions with the United States.

Araqchi gave an interview to NBC News on Sunday, March 8. When asked directly if Iran was receiving support from Russia, the minister responded that "cooperation between Iran and Russia is not news and it's not a secret." He confirmed that Russia assists Iran "in many fields," though he added he did not have detailed information on the specifics.

The minister did not provide clarification on whether Russian intelligence services are helping Iran locate American military assets in the region. His comments come in the wake of a report by The Washington Post alleging that Russia has been supplying Iran with intelligence to target U.S. Forces in the Middle East.

According to that report, which cited three unnamed sources, Moscow has provided Tehran with information on the location of several U.S. Military facilities, ships, and aircraft since late February. The publication suggested this indirect involvement effectively draws Russia into the ongoing conflict between the U.S., Israel, and Iran. The exact extent of assistance with missile targeting remains unclear, but the report indicated Iran's own capabilities for locating targets have diminished since hostilities escalated.