For the first time, Iran has admitted to suppling Russia with drones. Just a few weeks ago, the brutal regime denied arming Russia with the drones used in the war with Ukraine.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran has taken a clear and consistent position on the situation in Ukraine which has been pronounced since the start of the conflict,” Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani, permanent representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations, told reporters.
“Iran has consistently advocated for peace and the immediate end to the conflict in Ukraine,” Iravani said.
He added that the claims are “unfounded and unsubstantiated” and said that the West was mounting a disinformation campaign against his country. Iravani, who took no questions from reporters, also said the baseless allegations were “disappointing.”
In comments to the press on Saturday, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian insists the transfers were limited and “months before the Ukraine war.”
INRA news agency quotes Amirabdollahian as saying, “This fuss made by some Western countries that Iran has provided missiles and drones to Russia to help the war in Ukraine – the missile part is completely wrong.The drone part is true and we provided Russia a small number of drones months before the Ukraine war. If (Ukraine) has any documents in their possession that Russia used Iranian drones in Ukraine, they should provide them to us. If it is proven to us that Russia used Iranian drones in the war against Ukraine, we will not be indifferent to this issue.”
The comments by Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian come after months of confusing messaging from Iran about the weapons shipment, as Russia sends the drones slamming into Ukrainian energy infrastructure and civilian targets.
“We gave a limited number of drones to Russia months before the Ukraine war,” Amirabdollahian told reporters after a meeting in Tehran.
Previously, Iranian officials had denied arming Russia in its war on Ukraine. Just earlier this week, Iran’s Ambassador to the U.N. Amir Saeid Iravani called the allegations “totally unfounded” and reiterated Iran’s position of neutrality in the war. The U.S. and its Western allies on the Security Council have called on Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to investigate if Russia has used Iranian drones to attack civilians in Ukraine.