'Not something we'd be happy with': US warns Russia against getting 'involved' in Iran war amid intel sharing allegations

US President Donald Trump's war secretary Pete Hegseth on Tuesday (Mar 10) warned Russia that it "should not be involved" in the Iran war. This comes as reports suggest that Moscow may be aiding Tehran by providing intel about US military assets in the Gulf. Russian officials have meanwhile insisted in a call with Trump on Monday that they "have not been sharing" intelligence with Tehran amid the escalating conflict between the United States, Israel and Iran.

Russia 'should not be involved'

While speaking to the press, Hegseth was asked about Trump's recent call with Russian President Vladmir Putin. The War Secretary said that, "The president maintains strong relationships with world leaders, which creates opportunities and options for us in very dynamic ways".

When asked about how the call related to the ongoing conflict in West Asia, he ominously said, Russia "should not be involved".

What intelligence is Russia providing to Iran?

Reports suggest that Russia has been providing Iran intelligence about the locations and the movement of US troops, ships and aircraft.

America, as per White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt has "sent a message to Russia that if that was taking place, it’s not something they would be happy with, and they hope that it is not taking place."

Meanwhile, Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi over the weekend acknowledged Russian help in "many different directions," but said he didn't "have any detailed information".

Russian consulate in Iran damaged

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova on Tuesday revealed that the Russian Consulate General in Isfahan, Iran was damaged on Sunday. She said that the damage happened as a nearby provincial government building was attacked.

While several employees reported being pushed backwards by the force of the blast, no casualties or serious injuries were reported. The attack broke the windows of the consulate and nearby residential buildings.

Calling attacks on diplomatic and consular buildings a violation of international law, she said "We demand that all parties strictly respect the inviolability of diplomatic premises and refrain from any attacks on the safety, life, and health of their personnel."

Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing conflicts in West Asia involving Israel, Iran, US, Gulf nations and non-state actors like Hezbollah, Hamas, Houthis, Islamic State, and others. Claims and counterclaims, disinformation and misinformation are being made online and offline. Given this context, WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, social media posts, photos and videos.