US ‘not concerned’, says Pete Hegseth on claim that Russia helped Iran in war: 'We're aware of...'

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said that the United States is “not concerned” about reports that Russia is providing intelligence to Iran on US troop positions and movements.

His response came after the Associated Press quoted sources as saying that Russia has provided Iran with information that could help Tehran strike American warships, aircraft and other assets in the region.

While declining to confirm the reports, Hegseth, in an interview with CBS’s “60 Minutes,” said: “We’re tracking everything.”

“Our commanders are aware of everything,” he said, adding, “We have the best intelligence in the world. We’re aware of who’s talking to who.”

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says that the United States is “not concerned” about reports that Russia is providing intelligence to Iran on US troop positions and movements.

While declining to confirm the reports, Hegseth, in an interview with CBS’s “60 Minutes,” says: “We’re tracking everything.”

Hegseth emphasised the strength of the nation's surveillance capabilities, asserting that "Our commanders are aware of everything."

He further added that, “We have the best intelligence in the world. We're aware of who's talking to whom.”

“We’re not concerned about that,” the defense secretary was quoted as saying. He added, “We mitigate it as we need to.”

Hegseth also highlighted that President Donald Trump is being kept informed of these developments. "The American people can rest assured their commander-in-chief is well aware of who's talking to who," he said.

Hegseth warned that any illicit cooperation between foreign powers would meet a firm response from the US.

"And anything that shouldn't be happening, whether it's in public or back-channelled, is being confronted and confronted strongly," he remarked.

Russia providing Iran inputs?

Hegseth's remarks follow reports that Russia has been providing Iran with intelligence regarding the positions and movements of American personnel, vessels, and aircraft.

According to sources familiar with US intelligence reporting on the matter, CNN reported that this development marks the initial sign of Moscow's direct involvement in the ongoing conflict.

A significant portion of the shared data reportedly consists of imagery from Moscow's advanced network of overhead satellites.

While the nature of the information is clear, it remains uncertain what compensation Russia is receiving for this support.

CNN reached out to both the Kremlin and the Russian Embassy in Washington for comment on the matter.

Although a report from the Washington Post first highlighted this intelligence sharing, it is not yet confirmed if specific Iranian strikes can be directly attributed to Russian data.

However, several Iranian drones have recently targeted areas where US forces were stationed.