US President Donald Trump said he would ask Russian President Vladimir Putin if Russia is providing Iran with satellite data to guide strikes in the Middle East. His statement comes amid continued diplomatic contacts between Washington and Tehran after the temporary suspension of US air strikes, reports "Reuters".
Russia has one of the most advanced military-space intelligence systems in the world. Its satellites can track the movements of warships, aircraft and ground objects, as well as provide data on coordinates and routes. Such information could be used by Iran to more precisely target drones, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles at American, Israeli or Arab targets in the region.
There has been no publicly presented evidence to date that Moscow is providing such data to Tehran. That is why Trump said he intends to personally raise the issue with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The statement shows that Washington is seriously considering such a possibility, but is not presenting it as an established fact for now.
Trump said that the United States is having "good talks" with Iran and sees a chance that they will lead to an agreement.
"We are having good talks. I think there is a good chance that something will happen. "If it happens, fine, if it doesn't, we'll go back to what we were doing two days ago," he said.
Later at a campaign rally in Michigan, the US president added that "you can't negotiate with Iran through bribes," and if diplomatic efforts fail, the US will strike again.
Washington ended its air campaign against Iran on Saturday after 13 consecutive nights of bombing. According to US officials, the decision was made on the recommendation of the military, who assessed that the operation had reached the limits of its effectiveness.
The news of the cessation of US strikes and the start of diplomatic contacts led to a sharp drop in oil prices. US crude fell more than 8% to $81.98 a barrel, while Brent crude lost more than 9% to $87.77.
Despite the pause, tensions in the region remain high. Saudi Arabia said it had shot down drones targeting oil facilities, including in the Riyadh area. According to Riyadh, they were launched from Iraq by Iranian-backed armed groups.
The Tehran-backed Houthis in Yemen also announced that they had attacked the East-West oil pipeline leading to the Saudi port of Yanbu on the Red Sea.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said that messages were still being exchanged between Washington and Tehran through intermediaries and that Iran had not given up on diplomacy. However, he denied claims that the country had requested talks, describing such reports as "fabricated".
Meanwhile, Iran's Central Command accused the United States of threatening ships and oil tankers in Iranian territorial waters and attempting to impose an "illegal naval blockade". Tehran also insisted that it continued to control the Strait of Hormuz, and state media reported that six ships were forced to turn back after trying to pass without permission.
Despite the diplomatic contacts that have begun, the main contentious issues between the United States and Iran remain unresolved. Washington insists on free shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, while Tehran claims it has the right to control passage and determine the conditions for transit. In addition, the two countries continue to have serious disagreements over Iran's nuclear program, meaning the prospects for a final agreement remain uncertain.