LEILA FADEL, HOST:
While Russian President Vladimir Putin is keeping up his assault on Ukraine, he's also professing support for Iran amid its conflict with the U.S. and Israel. Less clear is how far that support goes, as NPR's Charles Maynes reports from Moscow.
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UNIDENTIFIED PERSON: (Non-English language spoken).
CHARLES MAYNES, BYLINE: It's been more than a year since the leaders of Russia and Iran gathered in the Kremlin to sign a high-profile strategic partnership agreement - a treaty that solidifies the two countries as allies but notably falls short of an outright military alliance. For that reason, comments by President Vladimir Putin to his Iranian counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian at a regional summit in Central Asia yesterday raised eyebrows.
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PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN: (Speaking Russian).
MAYNES: The Russian leader praised Iran's fortitude in the face of recent American attacks, telling Pezeshkian, Russia was, quote, "trying to give you the help you need during this difficult time and supplying you with the goods you need" (ph).
Putin's statement of support comes amid U.S. intelligence findings that Moscow's been providing Tehran with targeting assistance, and perhaps more, to better strike U.S. military assets in the Middle East. The Kremlin leader has denied providing direct military aid, even as hawkish voices in Moscow insist Putin has the right to do so.
VIKTOR LITOVKIN: (Speaking Russian).
MAYNES: Viktor Litovkin, a retired colonel and longtime military observer for state news agencies, asked why Russia can't help its allies in Tehran, given American and NATO military support to Kyiv. Besides, Litovkin notes, Iran helped Russia by sending in Shahed drones during the early years of the war in Ukraine.
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PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: I don't think they've been doing it - certainly not at a high level.
MAYNES: Last month, President Trump played down the significance of any Russian aid, but said he would ask Putin about it, yet it's not clear whether the topic was among those raised by CIA director John Ratcliffe during a surprise visit to Moscow for meetings with Russian intelligence officials last week.
Charles Maynes, NPR News, Moscow.
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