Netanyahu: Russia's cooperation with the Islamic Republic harms Moscow

Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel's prime minister, warned on Sunday, 18 October 2026, that Russia's cooperation with the Islamic Republic runs against Moscow's own interests. The remarks came a day before Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's trip to Tehran.

Netanyahu, speaking while outlining Israel's new national security doctrine, added that in his view Vladimir Putin also does not want the Islamic Republic to obtain a nuclear weapon, because such a weapon would threaten Russia's interests too. He said Israel's and Russia's interests sometimes collide and that Moscow has in some cases acted against Israel.

Concern over the Islamic Republic's influence in Russia

The Israeli prime minister, stressing that this was his personal assessment, said the Islamic Republic will try to recruit followers from Russia's Muslim population. He described the behavior of the Tehran government as stemming from an extreme ideological view aimed at dominating the world and imposing its doctrines. Netanyahu also accused Russia of using artificial intelligence to run networks of antisemitic bots against Israel and Jews around the world.

He said Israel will raise its concerns about the link between Moscow and Tehran, and about these online campaigns, with Russian officials. Netanyahu said he speaks with Putin whenever necessary and will insist on shared interests as far as possible, but that if that is not possible Israel will defend its own interests, even with war.

Lavrov's trip to Tehran and Washington's position

Netanyahu's remarks coincide with Sergey Lavrov's trip to Tehran to meet Abbas Araghchi, a trip that follows a request from the Gulf Cooperation Council states for Moscow to rein in the Islamic Republic. Donald Trump also said the same day that Russia's help to the Islamic Republic is very small compared with Moscow's capabilities and that he wants it to stay that way.

A study published on 14 October by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) and the George W. Bush Institute reported a network for expanding drone production in which the Islamic Republic's drone technology has been transferred to Russia, components are supplied from China and labor is brought in from North Korea.

A day before Lavrov's trip to Tehran, Netanyahu warned Moscow of the consequences of cooperating with the Islamic Republic.