Russia to receive additional weapons from Iran, report says
Iran is preparing to send Russia a slew of additional weapons, Reuters reported Tuesday, as the Iranian government continues to prove a thorn in the side of Ukraine and its Western allies.
Two Iranian officials and a pair of Iranian diplomats told Reuters that the two countries made the deal on Oct. 6. A separate official from an unnamed Western country reportedly confirmed the agreement.
Iran agreed to send Russia surface-to-surface missiles as well as additional drones, as Russian forces continue to use the latter against Ukrainian targets in "kamikaze" attacks.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The deal reportedly involved numerous high-ranking officials within the Iranian government, including First Vice President Mohammad Mokhber, who visited Moscow to work out deliveries of the weapons.
"The Russians had asked for more drones and those Iranian ballistic missiles with improved accuracy, particularly the Fateh and Zolfaghar missiles family," one of the Iranian diplomats told Reuters. While Western officials will likely be angered by the deal, the diplomat denied that Iran had broken a United Nations Security Council resolution.
"Where they are being used is not the seller's issue," the diplomat said. "We do not take sides in the Ukraine crisis like the West. We want an end to the crisis through diplomatic means."
Both Russia and Iran have denied that Iranian weaponry was used in recent drone attacks. However, American officials disagreed with this assessment, with the State Department telling Reuters that Iranian drones were used in an attack Monday in Kyiv.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Justin Klawans has worked as a staff writer at The Week since 2022. He began his career covering local news before joining Newsweek as a breaking news reporter, where he wrote about politics, national and global affairs, business, crime, sports, film, television and other Hollywood news. Justin has also freelanced for outlets including Collider and United Press International.
-
Who are undecided voters, anyway?
Talking Points They might decide the presidential election
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
Wildlife populations drop a 'catastrophic' 73%
Speed Read The decline occurred between 1970 and 2020
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Arizona kicks off swing-state early voting
Speed Read The voting began with less than a month to go before the presidential election
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
What are the main security threats facing the UK?
Today's Big Question State plots by Russia and Iran are joined by renewed efforts from Islamic State and al-Qaeda, and younger far-right extremists
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Israel's wars: is an end in sight – or is this just the beginning?
Today's Big Question Lack of wider strategic vision points to 'sustained low-intensity war' on multiple fronts
By Elliott Goat, The Week UK Published
-
What happens if Russia declares war on Nato?
Today's Big Question Fears are growing after Vladimir Putin's 'unusually specific warning' to Western governments
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Iran and Israel: is all-out war inevitable?
Talking Points Tehran has vowed revenge for assassinations of Hamas and Hezbollah leaders, but Gaza ceasefire could offer way out
By The Week UK Published
-
Are Ukraine's F-16 fighter jets too little too late?
Today's Big Question US-made aircraft are 'significant improvement' on Soviet-era weaponry but long delay and lack of trained pilots could undo advantage against Russia
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Hamas and Hezbollah strikes: what does it mean for Israel?
Today's Big Question Iran vows revenge for death of Hamas political leader in Tehran, hours after Israeli strike kills top Hezbollah member in Beirut
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Could Hezbollah defeat Israel?
Today's Big Question 'World's best-armed non-state group' on brink of all-out war with neighbour as UN chief warns of regional 'catastrophe'
By Elliott Goat, The Week UK Published
-
Iran at the nuclear crossroads
The Explainer Officials 'openly threatening' to build nuclear bomb, as watchdog finds large increase in enriched uranium stockpile
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published