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... Deepening ties between Russia and Iran have been improving prospects for both countries on their respective battlefields, from Ukraine to the Middle East.

Shahed-136 drone designs that Iran shared with Russia in late 2022, and upgraded variants that have been mass-produced ever since by Moscow, have transformed Russia's war against Ukraine. In August, Russia launched a record 2,800 jet-powered drones -- their speed making them harder to shoot down than earlier versions.

And as Iran retaliated against a joint U.S.-Israeli attack, covert Russian satellite intelligence helped Iran's missiles and drones deliver destructive blows against expensive American radar and military bases across the Middle East. The Pentagon counts $3.7 billion in "equipment losses" alone, with "hundreds of buildings" also wrecked by Iran.

Driven in part by a shared hostility toward the U.S.-led international order, Russia-Iran ties have now evolved into a full-spectrum partnership, analysts say. Areas of cooperation range from AI and cybersecurity to elaborate networks to evade sanctions and Russian technical support for supersonic Iranian cruise missile engines that will better target U.S. warships. ...