Russia is providing Iran with intelligence information about the location and movement of US troops, warships and aircraft. A CNN source said that most of the intelligence information that Russia shares with Iran is images from Russia's modern satellite system.
Three sources revealed that since the fighting broke out on February 28, Russia has transferred to Iran the location of US military assets, including warships and aircraft. "It seems to be a fairly comprehensive effort," said one of the three sources.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov declined to comment on intelligence findings. Previously, Russia called for an end to the conflict and considered it an "unprovoked military aggression".
According to 2 US officials revealed to the Washington Post, China does not seem to support Iran's defense. Meanwhile, 3 CNN sources said that the US has intelligence information showing that China may be preparing to provide Iran with financial aid, missile parts and components. "China is more cautious in supporting. They want the fighting to end because it threatens their energy supply" - a source said. China is heavily dependent on Iran's oil and has information that this country has urged Iran to allow ships to move safely through the Strait of Hormuz.
A statement from the Chinese Embassy in Washington mentioned Beijing's diplomatic efforts to cooperate with partners in the Middle East since the fighting broke out and said that the conflict should be "an immediate end".
Analysts say that the sharing of intelligence is consistent with the model of Iran's attacks on US forces, including command and control infrastructure, radar and temporary facilities, such as the project in Kuwait where 6 soldiers were killed.
The CIA station at the US Embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia has also been attacked in recent days. Some parts of the Embassy building are "unrecoverable" and must be blockaded, according to an internal assessment by the US State Department. Other areas of the Embassy will be inhabitable for at least the next month.
Iran is "carrying out very precise attacks on early warning radars or long-range radars. They are deploying very targeted, targeting command and control systems" - Dara Massicot, a Russian military expert at the Carnegie Foundation for International Peace, said.
Iran only has a few military satellites and no private satellite constellation. Therefore, images provided by Russia with much more advanced space capabilities become extremely valuable, Ms. Massicot added.
Russia and Iran have cooperated for at least 3 years on missile and drone technology, in which Iran provides Russia with Shahed drones and short-range ballistic missiles for use in the conflict in Ukraine and helps establish a large drone manufacturing plant to mass produce drones designed by Iran inside Russia.
For its part, Iran has sought Russia's help to strengthen its nuclear program.
