Iran promised to supply Russia with surface-to-surface missiles in addition to more drones. This is a move likely to anger the United States and other Western countries.
On Oct. 6, Iran’s First Vice President Mohammad Mokhber, along with two officials from Iran’s powerful Revolutionary Guards as well as an official from Russia’s Supreme National Security Council, reached a deal.
One of the Iranian diplomats was briefed on the trip and stated that the Russians requested more drones and Iranian ballistic missiles with better accuracy.
An official from the West who was briefed on this matter confirmed that there was an agreement between Iran and Russia to provide short-range, surface-to-surface ballistic missiles including the Zolfaghar.
Officials from the West claimed that these transfers were in violation of a 2015 U.N Security Council resolution. The diplomat from Iran rejected this assertion.
“Where they are used is not the seller’s problem. We don’t take sides in the Ukraine crisis as the West. The diplomat stated that they want to see the crisis resolved diplomatically.
In the last few weeks, Ukraine reported that there have been a number of Russian-made Shahed136 drone attacks against it. The Russians denied Iran supplied the drones, and the Kremlin denied Tuesday that its forces used Iranian drones against Ukraine.
When asked if Russia used Iranian drones during its campaign in Ukraine the Kremlin spokeswoman Dmitry Peskov stated that they did not know.
He stated that Russian equipment using Russian nomenclature was used. “All questions regarding the Defence Ministry should be directed at them.”
The ministry did not respond to our request for comment immediately.
Tensions between Iran, the United States and other Western countries would rise if there were Iranian missiles and drones in Moscow’s arsenal during the war with Ukraine.
A U.S. official stated that the U.S. State Department determined that Iranian drones were used in an attack on Kyiv on Monday morning. Karinne Jean-Pierre, a spokesperson for the White House, also claimed that Iran was lying when it stated that Iranian drones were not being used in Ukraine.
According to a diplomat from Europe, Russia felt it was more difficult to produce weapons for its own industrial sector due to the sanctions and was therefore turning to partners like Iran or North Korea to import weaponry.
The European diplomat stated that drones and missiles were a natural next step.
When asked about the sale of Iranian surface-to-surface missiles to Russia by the U.S. military, a top official stated that he didn’t know if it was accurate.
Iran’s ruling class is attempting to evade economic sanctions from Western countries and to increase strategic ties with Russia to counter an emerging U.S.-backed Gulf Arab/Israeli bloc, which could shift the balance of power in the Middle East further away from the Islamic Republic.
Iran’s rulers are also under threat from widespread demonstrations, which were sparked by the death of a 22-year-old woman held for wearing “inappropriate clothing”.
Monday’s call by several European Union countries for sanctions against Iran regarding its drone supply to Russia was echoed by the bloc, which agreed to separate set sanctions on Tehran’s crackdown upon unrest.
One security official stated that the Russians wanted to purchase hundreds of our missiles even mid-range. However, we assured them that we could ship them a few hundred of their requested Zolfaghar or Fateh 110 surface-to-surface missiles.
“I can’t give you an exact time, but they will be shipped within 2 to 3 shipments.”
A representative from Eastern Europe who was monitoring Russia’s weapon activity claimed that they understood the arms deal was taking place, but he didn’t have any evidence. According to the official, the Iranian and Russian leaders had decided to continue with the transfer.
Moscow specifically requested surface-to-surface short-range Fateh 110 or Zolfaghar missiles. The shipment will take place in 10 days, according to another Iranian diplomat.
Iran is in a high-stakes negotiation with Western countries to bring back a 2015 agreement that would have eased sanctions against Tehran in exchange for limiting its nuclear activities.
Talks have stalled and any dispute between Tehran and Western powers about arms sales to Russia and Iran’s crackdown against unrest could hamper efforts to reach an agreement.
Vedant Patel, a spokesperson for the U.S. State Department, said Monday that Iran’s supply of drones to Russia is in line with British and French assessments.
Due to the sensitive nature of the matter, the Western official declined to identify himself. He stated that missile transfers, like drones, would also be in violation of U.N. Resolution 2231.
According to the second diplomat, several senior Iranian officials are furious at “unjust” planned sanctions against Iran for its arms shipments.
Three Iranian officials revealed to Reuters that Tehran refused President Vladimir Putin’s request for Iran’s Arash 2 long-range attack helicopters in September.
One of the officials was asked why the refusal. He cited “some technical issues”.
“Also, the commanders of (Revolutionary) Guards were concerned that if Russia used this Arash 2 drone to attack Ukraine, Americans might have access to our technology.”
