Russian President Vladimir Putin pledged to support Iran and stand against US sanctions on Tuesday during a summit aimed at rivaling America’s global influence. Putin confirmed that Russia was working to help Tehran with its war against the US as he praised his Iranian counterpart,

Putin Backs Iran as Trump Escalates Strikes and Economic Pressure

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday met with Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, who arrived in Moscow for a two-day visit.

The visit to Moscow is the latest instance in which Trump has turned to his CIA director to help navigate tense diplomatic negotiations with a major U.S. adversary. Ratcliffe also traveled secretly to Cuba this May to warn the country’s communist regime to make fundamental reforms or risk a U.S. pressure campaign.

The two-day summit of the 10-nation Shanghai Cooperation Organization in Kyrgyzstan shows the limits of U.S. economic warfare.

Rubio acknowledged that Washington and Moscow are not aligned over Iran but argued that Russian assistance would not alter the U.S. position. "Nothing that anyone is providing Iran is in any way impeding our ability to act as necessary to protect the United States," Rubio said.

Trump is reopening high-level channels with Moscow as the Ukraine and Iran wars complicate US strategy. Here are three reasons Washington is once again seeking Russia’s cooperation.

Bishkek showcases Putin’s diplomatic reach and the leverage held by the partners that Russia increasingly needs.