According to Reuters, citing four people familiar with U.S. intelligence operations, investigators have not yet reached a definitive conclusion confirming Russia’s involvement. However, they said the sophistication of the attacks and their precision have raised suspicions that Moscow may have provided assistance.
The sources said Russia has long supported Iran in military technology, including improving the capabilities of weapons systems used in attacks, making it one of the key reasons behind the ongoing investigation.
Reuters reported that at least two CIA facilities were targeted by Iranian drone attacks in March.
One of the facilities was located within the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, while the other was in eastern Iraq. Witnesses also suggested that additional CIA sites may have been attacked, although neither their number nor locations have been disclosed due to their classified nature.
Classified intelligence shared with Western officials reportedly indicates that Russia may have helped Iran identify the locations of CIA facilities.
One official who reviewed a classified Western intelligence assessment said the document suggested Russia may have been involved in planning the attacks against U.S. intelligence facilities in the region.
Officials from Gulf states told Reuters that intelligence analysts suspect Iran used modified Shahed drones enhanced with Russian technology during the attack in Riyadh.
According to the officials, one drone penetrated a weak point in the U.S. Embassy building, allowing another drone to follow through the opening and explode inside. No deaths or injuries were reported.
Analysts also believe Russia may have upgraded Iran’s Shahed-136 drones with the Kometa-M satellite guidance system, significantly improving their targeting accuracy beyond Iran’s previous capabilities.
The Russian government has denied the allegations, dismissing them as “false claims.”
U.S. Still Seeking Conclusive Evidence
Despite the suspicions, U.S. intelligence agencies have not reached a firm conclusion regarding Russia’s involvement.
Some analysts argue that Iran may have intended to target the U.S. Embassy as a whole rather than CIA facilities specifically, meaning the intelligence sites could have been struck incidentally.
Others, however, contend that very few countries besides Russia possess the capability to obtain classified information about U.S. intelligence facilities and use it to support such attacks.
Daniel Hoffman, a former senior CIA station chief, said it would not be surprising if Moscow assisted Tehran given the close relationship between the two countries.
As of now, the CIA, the governments of Iran, Russia, and Saudi Arabia have not publicly commented on the Reuters report.
