American general confirms Russia aiding Iran in war with US

Prefer on Google by Abbey Fenbert U.S. General Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, during a House Armed Services Committee hearing in Washington, D.C., US, on April 29, 2026. (Daniel Heuer/Bloomberg via Getty Images) U.S. General Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, confirmed in an April 30 congressional hearing that Russia is supporting Iran in the current war with the United States. Russia has allegedly provided intelligence and weapons to Iran since the launch of the U.S.-Israeli war. U.S. media has reported that Russia has helped Iran target U.S. military assets in the Middle East, though the White House has downplayed the significance of Russia's support. During a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on April 30, Caine was asked to confirm Russia's direct involvement in the U.S.-Iran war. "There's no question that Vladimir Putin's Russia is taking serious action to undermine our efforts for success in Iran," Republican Senator Roger Wicker asked. "Is there any question about that?" "There's definitely some action there," Caine responded. The general said Russia had undertaken "actions and activities" but declined to get into specifics given the public nature of the hearing. Caine's remarks come days after Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met Russian President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg, where the leaders reaffirmed Moscow and Tehran's strategic partnership. Russia and Iran signed a strategic partnership agreement in January 2025, and Moscow has repeatedly denounced the U.S.-Israeli strikes against Iran on Feb. 28 — which triggered a weeks-long conflict across the Middle East, leaving thousands dead and driving a surge in global energy prices. The disruption in energy markets has channeled additional oil profits to Russia, which received a temporary sanctions waiver from the U.S. despite its strategic support for Iran in the ongoing war. President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that U.S. leaders "trust Putin," leading them to minimize Russia's partnership with Iran. Iran, meanwhile, has closely supported Russia during its all-out war against Ukraine, supplying Shahed strike drones and assisting Moscow in developing and mass-producing its own variants used in regular attacks on Ukrainian cities. The Senate hearing on April 30 was convened to examine the U.S. Defense Department's budget request for the coming year. U.S. President Donald Trump is asking Congress to approve approximately $1.5 trillion in defense spending for fiscal year 2027 — the largest defense budget in modern history. Trump's massive military funding request coincides with a 99% drop in U.S. military aid to Ukraine during his first year back in office.