European allies say Russia is helping Iran more than the U.S. has acknowledged, sources say
Source: CBS News
Updated on: March 28, 2026 / 4:16 PM EDT / CBS News
European allies are publicly and privately telling American diplomats that Russia is directly and materially helping Iran's war efforts beyond what the U.S. will publicly acknowledge, sources tell CBS News.
The Europeans are also continuing to argue that the war in Ukraine, the largest land war in Europe since World War II, is intertwined with the war in Iran due to the cooperation between Russia and Iran.
A U.K. official told CBS News that Russian-Iranian defense cooperation has ballooned in recent years, and Iranian technological advancement is now visible in the attacks in the Middle East. The United Kingdom assesses that Iran had not only transferred Shahed drones to Moscow for use on the battlefield in Ukraine but also production know-how to Russia, which has helped Iran refine its drone warfare. The U.K. official could not confirm a recent transfer of hardware to Iran by Russia.
France's Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot publicly described the relationship between Russia and Iran as "two-way cooperation." "There are reasons to believe that Russia is now supporting Iran's military efforts, which appear to be directed in particular at American targets," Barrot said Thursday.
Read more: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/russia-iran-war-european-allies-intelligence-help/
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