Sullivan said it was not clear whether Iran had delivered any of the drones to Russia yet…reports Asian Lite News
Iran is planning to supply hundreds of drones with combat weapon capabilities to Russia for use in Ukraine, a top US official said.
Jake Sullivan, the White House national security advisor, said the information received by the United States supported views that the Russian military is facing challenges sustaining its weaponry after significant losses in Ukraine.
“The Iranian government is preparing to provide Russia with up to several hundred UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles), including weapons-capable UAVs, on an expedited timeline,” Sullivan told reporters.
“Our information further indicates that Iran is preparing to train Russian forces to use these UAVs, with initial training sessions slated to begin as soon as early July,” he said.
Sullivan said it was not clear whether Iran had delivered any of the drones to Russia yet.
He noted that Iran’s drones have been used by the Houthi rebels in Yemen to attack Saudi Arabia.
Drones have played a crucial role on both sides of the war in Ukraine, for everything from firing missiles from a distance, to dropping small bombs on targets, to conducting reconnaissance for artillery forces and ground troops.
Iran defends ties
The Iranian Foreign Ministry has said that the technological cooperation between Iran and Russia dates back to the days before the Ukrainian crisis.
Nasser Kanaani, the ministry’s spokesman, made the remarks when asked about US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan’s claim that Iran is preparing to provide Russia with hundreds of drones, including weapons-capable ones, Xinhua news agency reported.
Iran’s stance on the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, which broke out in late February, is “absolutely clear and has been declared time and again officially”, he noted.
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said recently that the Ukrainian crisis is rooted in the expansion of the NATO, a Western military alliance, toward Russia’s borders and its provocations against Moscow.
“Ukraine’s crisis should be resolved through the course of dialogue and negotiation,” the minister said.
Kanaani also accused the United States and European states of turning countries, including some in West Asia, into “an arsenal of their diverse lethal arms.”
