Big Take Podcast

What Russia Stands to Gain From the Iran War

Today on the Big Take: Between sanctions relief and intelligence-sharing, Russia is benefitting from the Iran War. How will that impact its war in Ukraine?

US President Donald Trump, right, and Russian President Vladimir Putin on the tarmac after they arrived at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska, on Aug. 15.Photographer: ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP

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By Sarah Holder and David Fox

March 16, 2026 at 8:51 PM UTC

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As the war in Iran draws in more countries, it’s had unlikely benefits for one of Iran’s key allies: Russia.