As their relations get strained with the West, Iran and Russia are deepening their ties. This month saw two phone calls in less than 10 days between Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, multiple high-level visits, and reports on potential sale of Russian Sukhoi fighter jets to Iran in a bid to escape tightening EU and US sanctions.
Iran has already drawn the ire of its Western foes by delivering combat drones to Russia, which are being used in the latter's war on Ukraine. Tehran has denied this armament, but as evidence mounts of its kamikaze drones crashing in Kyiv, it has become increasingly unable to convince the Ukrainian side of its denials.