Putin Praises Iran's Naval Forces in Meeting with Russian Military Officers

⚓ MOSCOW — Moscow just told Tehran its navy matters, at the worst moment for Washington. 📌 LOOK CLOSER: Putin validating Iran's fleet publicly while Oman negotiates Hormuz transit mechanics resets the leverage table. Moscow signals it won't let Tehran concede naval posture as a bargaining chip — complicating any deal that requires Iran to stand down at the strait. Russia gains: a weakened Hormuz deal keeps energy prices elevated and US focus split. Variable: whether Tehran reads this as cover to harden its Hormuz position before Thursday.