Part of the death and destruction Ukrainians have experienced since the full-on Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 has been provided by Iran in the form of deadly attack drones, known as unmanned aerial vehicles, or UAVs. In testimony before Congress earlier this year, General Michael Kurilla, head of U.S. Central Command, said Iran has provided Moscow with at least 1000 UAVs, and has helped build a drone manufacturing plant inside Russia.
Now there are reports that the military partnership between Iran and Russia is growing, as State Department Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel noted at a recent press briefing:
“We are deeply concerned by reports that Iran is planning to deliver hundreds of ballistic missiles to Russia, and we continue to communicate with our European partners and allies regarding potential measures we may take.”
Spokesperson Patel said the United States has been warning about the “deepening security partnership between Russia and Iran since the onset of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine:”
“This partnership threatens European security and illustrates how Iran’s destabilizing influence reaches beyond the Middle East and around the world. As we and our partners have made clear - both at the G7 and at the NATO summit this summer – together we are prepared to deliver a swift and severe response if Iran were to move forward with the transfer of ballistic missiles, which would, in our view, represent a dramatic escalation in Iran’s support for Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.”
Iranian officials, observed Spokesperson Patel, also continue to deny providing drones to Russia, “when the evidence is plain for the world to see.”
“Russia has used these UAVs in relentless attacks against the civilian population in Ukraine, against civilian infrastructure, and this duplicity is only the latest reminder to the international community that the Iranian regime lacks any credibility,” he said.
Spokesperson Patel noted that during his recent campaign, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian “claimed he wanted to moderate Iran’s policies and engage with the world”:
“And we have said we have no expectation his election will lead to a fundamental change in Iran’s direction – and this pending transfer of missiles, if the reports are accurate, is further evidence of a continuation of Iran’s destabilizing behavior.”
The United States, said Spokesperson Patel, “will continue to judge Iran’s leadership by their actions, not their words.”
