Russia and Iran's expanding partnership in drones, intelligence, sanctions evasion and internal security is increasingly linking the conflicts in Ukraine and the Persian Gulf, says Nicole Grajewski, an expert on Russian-Iranian relations.

Tehran condemned Ukraine for carrying out the strike over the weekend on what it claims was a commercial vessel in the Caspian Sea.

Russia’s Iranian-designed drones have ravaged Ukrainian forces in Moscow’s all-out war. As far as Ukraine is concerned, that means cargo ships plying the Caspian Sea with Iranian…