In recent years, Iran has taken hit after hit on the world stage—from direct military confrontations with Israel to blows against its regional allies. Yet, despite being Iran’s most powerful friend, Russia has remained surprisingly quiet. Why isn’t Moscow stepping in to help Tehran? To understand that, we need to look deeper into Russia’s strategy, its own challenges, & the complex web of relationships it’s trying to balance. Ayatollah Khamenei meets Vladimir Putin" by english.khamenei.ir, via Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY 4.0 Russia and Iran: An Unlikely Friendship? Iran & Russia have grown closer in the last decade. Their shared opposition to the West, particularly the US, has made them natural partners. When Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022 and faced severe Western sanctions, Iran became a useful ally. Tehran had provided Russia with military drones at a critical moment when Moscow’s own arsenal was under pressure. On the global stage, the 2 countries also share...