German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul has accused Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin of using the war in Iran to divert international attention from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, alleging that Moscow is helping Tehran with targeting data.
Wadephul, speaking to reporters at a G7 meeting in France on Friday, said Russia appears to be supporting Iran by helping identify potential strike targets, according to The Guardian.
“Putin cynically hopes that the escalation in the Middle East will divert our attention from his crimes in Ukraine,” he said, warning that such a strategy must not succeed.
He added that the connection between the Iran conflict and the war in Ukraine is becoming increasingly clear, saying that Russia is “evidently supporting Iran with information about potential targets.”
Wadephul also said he had discussed Germany’s position with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, noting Berlin’s readiness to contribute to securing the Strait of Hormuz once hostilities in the region subside.
The remarks highlight growing concern among Western officials that Moscow is leveraging the Middle East conflict to shift focus away from Ukraine and reportedly completing a shipment of drones, medicine, and food to Iran.
According to the Financial Times (FT), Russian and Iranian officials began secretly discussing drone deliveries days after US attacks on Tehran.
Shipments were already underway in early March and are expected to be finalized by the end of the month. If confirmed, this would mark the first known instance of Moscow providing lethal military support to Iran since the start of the conflict.
Western intelligence sources cited by the FT said Russia aims to bolster Iran’s battlefield capabilities while also stabilizing the regime politically.
Publicly, Moscow says it is delivering humanitarian aid, including more than 13 tonnes of medicine via Azerbaijan, with additional shipments planned.
Privately, however, Russia has reportedly provided satellite imagery, targeting data, and intelligence support.
Iran has relied heavily on one-way attack drones, launching over 3,000 of them since the war began. Russia has used modified Iranian-designed drones in Ukraine since 2023, upgrading them with improved navigation, payload capacity, and resistance to electronic warfare.
Analysts told the FT that Tehran is now seeking access to these improved systems.
“They don’t need more drones. They need better drones,” said Antonio Giustozzi, senior research fellow at the Royal United Services Institute, noting Iran’s interest in Russian upgrades such as the Geran-2 variant.
Nicole Grajewski, a professor at Sciences Po University in Paris, told the FT that Iran could either integrate these systems into domestic production or deploy them directly to enhance strike effectiveness, adding that Russian-modified Shaheds are already more advanced than Iran’s domestic versions.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov denied the reports of drone deliveries, saying: “There are a lot of fakes going around right now,” while confirming ongoing dialogue with Tehran.
The reported shipments come amid Israeli strikes on Russia-Iran supply routes in the Caspian Sea. Strikes on March 18-19 reportedly hit Iran’s naval base and port at Bandar Anzali, damaging the Northern Fleet and key infrastructure.
Analyst Paul Goble told Kyiv Post the strike showed there are “no safe havens” in Iran and signaled that Israel, implicitly backed by the US, is closely monitoring Russia-Iran links across the Caspian, including suspected transfers of sanctioned goods and military equipment.
The Caspian corridor has become a key route connecting Russia and Iran, used to move oil, drones, and other dual-use goods while largely bypassing Western oversight.