Middle East Crisis Reactions

US downplays report of Russian aid to Iran

The White House does not want to answer whether Donald Trump has spoken to Vladimir Putin regarding the reports that Russia provided Iran with intelligence on American targets in the Middle East. This is reported by AFP.

At a press conference on Friday evening Swedish time, press spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt played down the significance of the media reports.

- It obviously makes no difference to the operations in Iran, because we are completely crushing them.

Otherwise, she wants to let Donald Trump himself speak on the matter.

Sources: Russia provides Iran with intelligence on the US

Russia is providing Iran with information on American targets in the Middle East, three informed sources tell the Washington Post.

This is the first sign that one of the US's enemy nations is participating in the war, even if it is indirectly.

According to the sources, Russia is said to have informed Iran about the position of the American military targets. Among other things, it is said that it involved ships and fighter jets. The extent of the intelligence information is unclear.

Neither the Pentagon nor the Russian embassy in the United States have commented on the information. Russia has previously condemned the war, calling it an “unprovoked act of armed aggression.”