Tehran Ready for Discussion about Claim on Use of Iranian Drones in Ukraine War
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian said the country is ready to discuss the Western countries’ allegations about exporting drones to Russia in a joint session with Ukrainian officials.
Amirabdollahian made the remarks in a Monday meeting with the participants in the General Assembly of the Organization of Asia-Pacific News Agencies (OANA) in Tehran.
In response to Western countries’ claims about Iran selling drones and other military equipment to Russia to be used against Ukraine, he said, “We have not sold and will not sell any weapons and drones to be used in the war against Ukraine, and cooperation between Iran and Russia will continue without having anything to do with the Ukraine war.”
The Iranian foreign minister said Tehran and Moscow engage in various kinds of cooperation, including in the defense field, adding, “We have both received weapons from Russia and supplied weapons to Russia in the past, but not in the course of the Ukraine war.”
Referring to his latest talks with the European Union’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, Iran’s top diplomat said, “I told Borrell that we are ready for a team of Iranian and Ukrainian military experts to see into allegations about the use of Iranian drones in the Ukraine war.”
Both Iran and Russia have in the past vehemently denied baseless allegations that Tehran provided Moscow with drones, Press TV reported.
The anti-Iran claims first emerged in July, with US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan alleging that Washington had received “information” indicating that the Islamic Republic was preparing to provide Russia with “up to several hundred drones, including weapons-capable UAVs on an expedited timeline” for use in the war in Ukraine.
This is while the United States and its European allies have since the onset of the conflict in Ukraine been providing Kiev with an assortment of arms and weapons, fanning the flames of war in the ex-Soviet republic.
Earlier on Monday, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani strongly denied Western states’ allegations about Tehran's involvement in the Ukraine war, saying it maintains cordial relations with both sides of the war.