Iranian drone strikes on CIA facilities in the Persian Gulf region have prompted US intelligence officials to investigate possible Russian involvement, four sources familiar with the intelligence told Reuters. Among the theories is that Moscow may have provided guidance data or technology for advanced drones. No final conclusions have yet been reached in the US.
Briefly about the main points
- The US is investigating Russia’s possible involvement in Iranian attacks on CIA facilities.
- At least two CIA facilities were targeted in March.
- In Riyadh, two drones struck the US embassy building.
- Analysts suggest that Russia may be using modified Shahed drones.
- There were no fatalities or injuries during the attack in Saudi Arabia.
What is known about the affected sites
At least two CIA facilities were targeted in March. One of them was the CIA station in Saudi Arabia, which is based at the US Embassy in Riyadh. The other facility was located in eastern Iraq.
Some of Reuters’ sources also mentioned other targets that had been hit, without specifying their number or locations. One source estimated the number to be more than one but fewer than ten; another reported that there were several sites. Their exact locations have not been disclosed, as the CIA’s network of overseas facilities is classified.
The theory regarding Russian technology and guidance systems
According to two Western officials in the Gulf states, who were briefed on intelligence reports, two Russian-upgraded variants of Iranian drones may have been used during the attack in Saudi Arabia Shahed. The first drone struck a vulnerable section of the embassy’s exterior, whilst the second flew through the hole it had created and exploded.
Sources also reported that Russia had been helping Iran to improve the Shahed’s ability to hit targets. A separate source speaking to Reuters said that Moscow had supplied Tehran with the Kometa-M satellite navigation system to improve the accuracy of the Shahed-136. Experts consider it to be more accurate and harder to jam than the Iranian system.
Russian support for Iran Attacks on US targets in the region had already been reported in the media and acknowledged by US officials. However, the investigation into Moscow’s possible role specifically in the attacks on CIA facilities had not previously been made public.
Intelligence has not reached a final conclusion
An official in the region has concluded that Russia likely played a role in directing the CIA’s attacks on regional targets. At the same time, US analysts have not yet established whether Iran used Russian intelligence to carry out the attack on the embassy in Riyadh.
Some sources have suggested that Iran’s target may have been the US embassy as a whole, and that the CIA station may have been hit by accident. However, the effectiveness and apparent precision of the attacks, as well as the broader technical support Tehran receives from Moscow, have provided grounds for a detailed investigation into this theory.
What would Moscow’s possible involvement change?
If Russia’s involvement in targeting sensitive CIA facilities is confirmed, this could indicate Moscow’s willingness to provide broader support to Iran in countering the US presence in the region. Suspicions have intensified following an attack by Iran At a US airbase in Jordan: ballistic missiles struck army barracks, killing two US servicemen.
Former head of the CIA station Daniel Hoffman stated that Moscow’s assistance to Tehran in targeting the agency’s facilities would not be unexpected, given their strategic partnership. «They share an interest in attempts to reduce or completely eliminate US influence in their self-proclaimed spheres of influence,» he said.
The White House referred Reuters« enquiry to the CIA, which declined to comment. Iran’s mission to the UN, the Russian Ministry of Defence and the Saudi Arabian authorities did not respond to the agency’s enquiries. The Kremlin had previously denied reports that the Kometa-M system had been transferred to Iran, calling them »fake news’.
