The US and Israel's war against Iran plays into the hands of the Kremlin. How Russia is profiting from the conflict and increasing its influence in the Middle East After almost eight months of war with the United States and Israel, Iran is facing serious economic problems. The American naval blockade effectively stopped the export of Iranian oil, and about 83% of the country's total imports passed through southern ports before the war. Now Tehran is forced to look for alternative trade routes and rely more and more on Russian help. For Moscow, the war became a source of additional income and new opportunities to strengthen influence in the region. Russian oil more than doubled its price - from 45 to more than 90 dollars per barrel. In addition, Russia gained an advantage over one of the main competitors in the Chinese oil market: after 2022, Moscow had to compete with Tehran by giving discounts to buyers. At the same time, Iran's dependence on Russia is increasing. From January to August 2026, Tehran purchased 70% more Russian grain than a year earlier. Moscow also, according to reports in the Iranian media, agreed to provide Iran with a loan of 20 billion dollars. In exchange for financial support, the Kremlin may try to obtain special conditions for Russian companies and strengthen its political influence in the region. At the same time, Russian projects in Iran themselves will not necessarily bring profit. To develop trade across the Caspian Sea, it is necessary to build ships and modernize ports, but Tehran does not have the money for this. The Russian budget should also take into account the costs of the war with Ukraine. Why the continuation of the war may be more profitable for the Kremlin than its end, and how Moscow plans to use Tehran's dependence - read the column of the Orientalist and the author of the book "Iran for All" Nikita Samagin for "Important Stories".

The US and Israel's war against Iran plays into the hands of the Kremlin. How Russia is profiting from the conflict and increasing its influence in the Middle East After almost eight months of war with the United States and Israel, Iran is facing serious economic problems. The American naval blockade effectively stopped the export of Iranian oil, and about 83% of the country's total imports passed through southern ports before the war. Now Tehran is forced to look for alternative trade routes and rely more and more on Russian help. For Moscow, the war became a source of additional income and new opportunities to strengthen influence in the region. Russian oil more than doubled its price - from 45 to more than 90 dollars per barrel. In addition, Russia gained an advantage over one of the main competitors in the Chinese oil market: after 2022, Moscow had to compete with Tehran by giving discounts to buyers. At the same time, Iran's dependence on Russia is increasing. From January to August 2026, Tehran purchased 70% more Russian grain than a year earlier. Moscow also, according to reports in the Iranian media, agreed to provide Iran with a loan of 20 billion dollars. In exchange for financial support, the Kremlin may try to obtain special conditions for Russian companies and strengthen its political influence in the region. At the same time, Russian projects in Iran themselves will not necessarily bring profit. To develop trade across the Caspian Sea, it is necessary to build ships and modernize ports, but Tehran does not have the money for this. The Russian budget should also take into account the costs of the war with Ukraine. Why the continuation of the war may be more profitable for the Kremlin than its end, and how Moscow plans to use Tehran's dependence - read the column of the Orientalist and the author of the book "Iran for All" Nikita Samagin for "Important Stories".