Russia secretly helping Iran build advanced supersonic cruise missiles — FT

Russian President Vladimir Putin pledged to continue supporting Iran during a meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in Kyrgyzstan on September 1. The ongoing conflict between Iran and the U.S. over the Strait of Hormuz has led to a significant reduction in global oil traffic. Putin assured Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian that Russia would supply the necessary goods and equipment to aid Iran in its war with the U.S. Reports suggest that Russia has been providing Iran with drone components and ammunition, as well as assisting in targeting U.S. bases.

In Ukraine's first year of Russia's full-scale invasion, Iran supplied Russia with Shahed drones for use against military and civilian targets. Tensions between Ukraine and Iran have persisted, with Kyiv striking an Iranian vessel carrying military cargo in the Caspian Sea in July. At the meeting, the participating nations, including Russia, Iran, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and India, signed a joint statement criticizing unilateral coercive measures that could negatively impact the global economy, referring to Western sanctions against Iran and Russia.