How Russia Emerged as an Early Winner of the Iran War

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

The war in Iran has killed hundreds of civilians, displaced hundreds of thousands more, sent global oil prices skyrocketing, created a political crisis for President Donald Trump and shaken the stability of the Gulf. But for one nation at least, the chaos has created opportunity.

Russia has emerged from the first week of the U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran as an early winner, seemingly able to profit from the secondary economic and geopolitical effects of the war while others bear the costs.

Russia is one of the few nations that has maintained a friendly relationship with Tehran. Moscow condemned the U.S. and Israel’s attack on Iran on February 28, calling it a “pre-planned and unprovoked act of armed aggression against a sovereign and independent U.N. member state,” in a statement from Russia's Foreign Affairs Ministry posted to Telegram. Vladimir Putin similarly criticized the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as a “cynical murder.”

But while it may stand to lose a powerful ally in the region, Moscow may also benefit in the short term, analysts say.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/russia-emerged-early-winner-iran-195333907.html

Anything for Trump's bro Pooty Poot.

[OC375]

1. Other than losing their drone supplier...

[LetMyPeopleVote]

2. MaddowBlog-White House's Witkoff vouches for Russia's trustworthiness on Iran and alleged war assistance

Confronted with evidence of Russia aiding Iran, Team Trump has shrugged, boosted Russia’s economy and vouched for Moscow’s reliability.

"Witkoff’s on-air comments came a day after Trump said that he had a 'positive call' with Putin and that the Russian leader 'wants to be helpful' and 'very constructive.'

The American president didn’t specify for whom Putin wants to be helpful and constructive."

— Khashoggi's Ghost (@urocklive1.bsky.social) 2026-03-11T20:34:26.586Z

https://www.ms.now/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/white-houses-witkoff-vouches-for-russias-trustworthiness-on-iran-and-alleged-war-assistance

There’s ample speculation as to how this happened, but it’s hard to overlook the reports from multiple news organizations, including MS NOW, over the weekend that Russia had provided Iran with information that could help it strike American targets. One U.S. official told MS NOW point-blank, “Russia is providing intelligence help to Iran.”.....

In the wake of the reporting, the president and his team not only expressed public indifference to the news that Russia was assisting Iran, the Republican administration also extended a new reward to Vladimir Putin’s regime, temporarily easing oil sanctions on the country.

If that weren’t quite enough, one of the key figures on Trump’s foreign policy team went even further on Tuesday. MS NOW reported that U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff appeared on CNBC and emphasized that Russian officials have denied the allegations.

Witkoff said Russian officials told President Donald Trump on a call [Monday] that ‘they have not been sharing’ the information.

Witkoff added that Yuri Ushakov, an aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin, ‘reiterated the same’ on a call with himself and Jared Kushner, one of Trump’s sons-in-law, whom the president named as a ‘special peace envoy.’

Witkoff went on to say of the Russian officials, “We can take them at their word.”

QUINTANILLA: Do we think the Russians have shared intel about US military assets, and if so, why would we be giving waivers on oil sanctions?

WITKOFF: I can tell you that on the call with POTUS, the Russians said they have not been sharing. That's what they said. We can take them at their word.

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com) 2026-03-10T16:08:53.733Z

So as far as Team Trump is concerned, when confronted with evidence that Russia is aiding Iran during the war, the proper response is to (a) shrug; (b) boost Russia’s economy; and (c) vouch for Moscow’s trustworthiness.

Witkoff’s on-air comments came a day after Trump said that he had a “positive call” with Putin and that the Russian leader “wants to be helpful” and “very constructive.”

The American president didn’t specify for whom Putin wants to be helpful and constructive.

Democratic Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware appeared on MS NOW this week and said, “The clearest winner from this war in Iran is Russia.” Soon after, The Wall Street Journal reported that Putin “can barely conceal a smirk” as the war continues.