Russia is alleged to have provided Iran with intelligence from space during its military operations against the United States, while 14 Russian satellites flew over a US base in Saudi Arabia shortly before it was struck by Iranian missiles, according to a report broadcast by CNN on Tuesday evening.

Moscow has denied providing any such assistance to Tehran. The reports come, however, at a time when relations between Russia and Iran remain strong and multifaceted, while the US continues to support Ukraine, albeit with less momentum.

According to CNN, Russian spy satellites provided Iran with information on the positions of US assets and facilities in the Middle East, as well as activity inside American bases. This information, the US network reports, helped Tehran carry out more accurate strikes against US targets in the Middle East.

The link between Russian satellite activity and Iranian missile attacks was particularly evident in the case of the attack on Prince Sultan Air Base in central Saudi Arabia.

The attack, which took place in late March, left 12 US soldiers wounded and caused serious damage to the facilities. A US Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS), worth hundreds of millions of dollars, was also destroyed, even though it had not been stationed at its usual location before the war.

CNN reports that shortly before the strike, 14 Russian satellites were passing over the base, including an advanced spy satellite. Some were capable of capturing high-resolution images of the base, while others could intercept communications and identify air-defence systems.

The US fears that the incident was not isolated and that Russia provided similar information to Iran on other occasions during the war. These, according to CNN, included information that helped Tehran strike a target linked to the CIA in Riyadh.

Russia has repeatedly rejected claims made in recent months that the Kremlin has been providing Iran with sustained military or intelligence assistance.

The Moscow-Tehran alliance

Relations between Russia and Iran have strengthened significantly in recent years. Tehran supported Moscow in the war in Ukraine, among other things by supplying Iranian Shahed attack drones.

When the conflict between Iran, the United States and Israel began, the roles were reversed, with Russia providing support to Tehran, including through intelligence sharing and the delivery of advanced unmanned aerial vehicles.

During the operations, Israel also struck targets in the Caspian Sea, an area through which shipments and transfers between Russia and Iran pass.