The Iran war has overshadowed the Russia-Ukraine conflict, leaving European nations anxious and filing complaints against the United States. Media: European allies say Russia’s support for Iran far exceeds what the U.S. acknowledges.
European allies have warned the United States that Washington underestimates Russia’s military support for Iran.
According to sources, European officials have conveyed to U.S. diplomats—both publicly and privately—that Russia is directly and substantially providing intelligence and technical assistance to Iran, helping Iran target U.S. forces and allies in the Middle East; they emphasized that the war in Ukraine is closely linked to the situation in the Middle East, due to the cooperation between Russia and Iran connecting conflicts in both regions.
A British official told the U.S.-based Columbia Broadcasting System that defense cooperation between Russia and Iran has significantly intensified in recent years. Iran not only provided Russia with Shahed drones for use in Ukraine but also shared production technology, which has simultaneously enhanced Iran’s own drone combat capabilities. French Foreign Minister Baros said the Russia-Iran relationship constitutes "mutual cooperation," and pointed out that Russia might be supporting Iran’s military operations targeting U.S. interests.
Ukrainian President Zelenskyy also stated in a post that Russia is supplying signal intelligence, electronic intelligence, and satellite imagery of U.S. military facilities in the Middle East and the Gulf, including the U.S.-UK joint base on Diego Garcia Island in the Indian Ocean, Kuwait International Airport, Saudi Prince Sultan Air Base, as well as military installations in Turkey and Qatar.
EU foreign policy chief Kallas said Russia is helping Iran obtain intelligence and use drones to attack neighboring countries and U.S. bases. UK Defense Secretary Sheehy, meanwhile, claimed to see "Putin’s invisible hand" behind the Iran conflict.
In response, the U.S. has maintained a relatively low-key stance. Secretary of State Rubio emphasized that Russia’s support for Iran has not yet affected U.S. military operations; the U.S. Defense Secretary also stated that the U.S. is monitoring and responding to the situation. U.S. intelligence agencies revealed this month that selective cooperation exists among Russia, Iran, and North Korea aimed at countering the United States, though no formal alliance has been formed.
Meanwhile, Israel, Gulf states, and Ukraine are increasing their demand for missile interceptors made by the United States. In response, Rubio said that current NATO procurement and defense equipment supplies to Ukraine remain unaffected, but future adjustments may be made based on U.S. domestic needs.
Source: rfi
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1861000249057288/
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