Russia and Iran, although publicly demonstrating their partnership, do not actually trust each other very much. According to Ukraine's Foreign Intelligence Service, both countries consider each other more as potential rivals than reliable allies, as evidenced by mutual espionage and conflicting geopolitical interests.
'In June 2025, during a 12-day conflict between Iran and Israel, a member of Iran's Political Expediency Council, Seyyed Mohammad Sadr, accused Russia of passing intelligence to Israel about the location of Iranian air defense systems. According to him, this indicates the futility of the 'strategic alliance' with Moscow. 'Russia condemned Israel's attack on Iran only in words, but effectively facilitated it,' Sadr said. This incident highlighted the fragility of a partnership where economic ties do not guarantee political loyalty.'
After 2022, Russia invested significant funds in Iran, becoming the largest foreign investor in the Islamic Republic by 2024. In 2023, the volume of Russian investments amounted to $2.7 billion, and Moscow promised to invest another $8 billion in the oil and gas sector. The Russian oil company 'ZN Vostok' is actively operating in Iran, and among the promising projects are the 'Rasht - Astara' railway, funded by the Russian Federation, and a gas pipeline through Azerbaijan.
A Threat to Cooperation
However, intelligence noted that these ambitious plans are under threat. 'Historical distrust, backed by modern conflicts of interest, makes the 'alliance' of the two regimes illusory. Moscow is losing not only Iran but also its status as a global player in the Middle East' - emphasized the SBU.
The Ukrainian intelligence highlighted that economic relations between Russia and Iran do not guarantee political stability, and there is a serious threat to further cooperation between these countries.