Russia’s Weak Response to Iran-Israel Conflict Exposes Its Waning Middle East Influence

The recent Israeli airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, backed by U.S. support, have sparked condemnation from Moscow — yet the Kremlin's actual response has been cautious and restrained. While Russia vocally decried the attacks as "unprovoked aggression," it stopped short of providing tangible military assistance to Tehran. This measured posture exposes a stark reality: Russia’s grip on Middle Eastern affairs is loosening amid overextension from its costly war in Ukraine. Since Vladimir Putin launched his full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Russia's strategic partnership with Iran has grown, notably with Tehran supplying drones critical to Moscow's war effort. Yet this...