Russia and China providing military cooperation to Iran, foreign minister boasts

China has been helping Iran in its war against the US and Israel, Iran’s foreign minister boasted Saturday — days after confirming his country has also been aided by Russia.“Russia and China are our strategy partners, and we have had close cooperation in the past, which is still continues [sic], and that includes military cooperation as well,” Iran Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told MS Now.The two American adversaries have been accused of providing the Islamic Republic with intelligence regarding the locations of US military assets during Operation Epic Fury.The foreign minister revealed China’s involvement in the war just days after he said that Russia’s involvement in the war was “no secret.”“A military cooperation between Iran and Russia is not something new.It’s not a secret,” Araghchi told NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday.Aragachi said that he would not provide details as to the nature of military help Iran is receiving from China and Russia, but described the working relationship as “good cooperation.”News of Russia’s involvement flies in the face of assurances made by Kremlin officials to US diplomatic leaders.

Ambassador Steve Witkoff told CNBC that Russian leaders had promised President Trump that they were not providing intelligence to Russia during a phone call Monday.“I can tell you that yesterday, on the call with [President Trump], the Russians said they have not been sharing… so, we can take them at their word, but they did say that,” Witkoff told CNBC.Russian President Vladimir Putin declared his “unwavering support” for Iran and congratulated its new supreme leader Monday.“I am sure that you will honorably continue your father’s work and unite the Iranian people,” Putin said in a message to newly installed Iranian Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei.Khamenei was appointed ayatollah by Iran’s assembly of experts Monday after his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed in a US-Israeli airstrike.When a...