Report: Iran Receives Missile Defense Systems From Russia
Above: Iranians take part in a protest against the killing of Ismail Haniyeh, the political head of Hamas, in Palestine Square in Tehran, Wednesday, July 31, 2024. Image copyright: Majid Saeedi/Stringer/Getty Images News via Getty Images
The Spin
Pro-Israel narrative
It is no surprise that Iran is seeking Russia's support as both share a common enemy in the US and NATO. And, while Russia is struggling financially, it cannot afford to reject Tehran's request for weaponry as it is heavily reliant on Iranian drones for its Ukrainian war effort.
Pro-Iran narrative
Iran is not seeking to expand the scope of the crisis in the Middle East. However, Israel must be punished for breaching Iran's sovereign borders and carrying out an extrajudicial assassination of a political official on Iranian soil.
Metaculus Prediction
There is an 18% chance that a state-based conflict between Israel and Iran will cause at least 1K deaths before 2025, according to the Metaculus prediction community.