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A top US intelligence official has confirmed that Iran is actively seeking intelligence assistance from Russia, China, and other American adversaries as the conflict with US and Israeli forces intensifies.

Getting into it: While testifying to the Senate, CIA Director John Ratcliffe made clear that Iranian officials are actively reaching out to US rivals, stating, “The Iranians are requesting intelligence assistance from Russia, from China and from other adversaries of the United States.” He declined to publicly confirm whether that support is being provided, adding that the answer is something he could share “in the classified portion,” though he emphasized that he knows the “answer” after reviewing intelligence and communications.

Ratcliffe’s remarks come amid a wave of unconfirmed but persistent reports that Russia may already be assisting Iran with actionable intelligence, including satellite imagery and targeting data that could help identify US military positions in the Middle East. While he stopped short of validating those claims in open session, his acknowledgment of Iran’s outreach, combined with his refusal to dismiss the reports, has fueled concerns that such cooperation may already be underway behind closed doors.

Russia, for its part, has publicly denied the allegations, with officials dismissing reports of intelligence sharing as false. US special envoy Steve Witkoff relayed that Moscow told US leadership it is not providing such assistance, saying, “they have not been sharing,” though Ratcliffe signaled skepticism toward those assurances when pressed by lawmakers.

US intelligence agencies also believe that Russia would benefit from prolonging the conflict, as it could divert US attention and resources away from Ukraine while simultaneously raising global energy prices that bolster Putin’s wartime economy.