Trump-Putin Call Addresses Intelligence Allegations
U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff said Russian leaders told President Donald Trump they are not providing intelligence support to Iran during the ongoing war.
“I can tell you that yesterday, on the call with the president, the Russians said they have not been sharing,” Witkoff said Tuesday in an interview on CNBC. “So, you know, we can take them at their word. Let’s hope that they’re not sharing.”
Trump spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday, Witkoff said.
Sanctions Question Meets Limited Answer
During the CNBC interview, Witkoff was asked whether Russia might be sharing intelligence with Iran about the location of U.S. military assets, and how that would square with decisions affecting sanctions that had restricted Indian refiners from buying Russian oil.
“Well, I’m not an intel officer, so I can’t tell you,” Witkoff said, adding that Russia denied any intelligence sharing during the call with Trump.
Separate Call With Putin Aide Also Cited
Witkoff said he and Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law, separately participated in a Monday morning call with Yuri Ushakov, Putin’s foreign policy advisor. Witkoff said Ushakov repeated the same message: Russia is not sharing intelligence with Iran.
Report Cites Claims of Russian Support to Iran
The comments follow a report by MS Now on Saturday, which cited two U.S. officials as saying Russia has been providing Iran with information that could help its forces target American ships, aircraft and military bases in the Middle East.
“Russia is providing intelligence help to Iran,” one of the officials told MS Now, according to the report. Another official cited in the same report said they had seen nothing indicating Russia was playing a direct strategic or tactical combat role.
Trump Pushes Back on Questioning
Trump on Friday criticized a Fox News reporter for asking about suggestions that Russia was helping Iran target U.S. forces. “What a stupid question that is to be asking at this time,” Trump said.
At a press conference in Florida on Monday, Trump said Putin “was very impressed with what he saw” regarding U.S. progress in the war.