The US on Friday expressed alarm over a “full-scale defense partnership” between Moscow and Tehran, describing it as “harmful” to Ukraine, Iran’s neighbors and the world.
Iran stands accused by Western powers of supplying drones to Russia — which rejected the US allegations — as Moscow batters Ukraine’s energy infrastructure in search of an advantage in the bloody conflict.
Washington has previously condemned Iran-Russia security cooperation, but on Friday described an extensive relationship involving equipment such as helicopters and fighter jets, as well as drones, with the latter items resulting in new US sanctions.
Photo: Reuters
“Russia is seeking to collaborate with Iran in areas like weapons development, training,” US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters.
Moscow “is offering Iran an unprecedented level of military and technical support — that is transforming their relationship into a fully fledged defense partnership,” he said.
“We have also seen reports that Moscow and Tehran are considering the establishment of a joint production line for lethal drones in Russia. We urge Iran to reverse course [and] not to take these steps,” Kirby said.
Russian Ambassador to the UN Vassily Nebenzia pushed back later in the day, telling a UN Security Council meeting that “the military industrial complex in Russia can work perfectly fine and doesn’t need anyone’s assistance.”
The drone allegations, he said, were “already refuted” multiple times before.
Kirby said the US is also concerned that Russia “intends to provide Iran with advanced military components,” including helicopters and air defense systems.
Iranian pilots have reportedly been learning to fly advanced Sukhoi Su-35 warplanes in Russia, and Tehran might receive the aircraft within the next year, which would “significantly strengthen Iran’s air force relative to its regional neighbors,” Kirby said.
Since August, Iran has transferred hundreds of drones to Russia, which had used them to “kill civilians and illegally target civilian infrastructure” in Ukraine, British Ambassador to the UN Barbara Woodward told reporters separately.
“Russia is now attempting to obtain more weapons, including hundreds of ballistic missiles,” Woodward said.
“In return, Russia is offering Iran an unprecedented level of military and technical support,” she said.
The UK is also “almost certain that Russia is seeking to source weaponry from North Korea [and] other heavily sanctioned states, as their own stocks palpably dwindle,” she added.
Additional reporting by Reuters
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