US: Increased Iran-Russia Military Co-operation Must Concern World · Global Voices

The United States said increased co-operation between Tehran and Moscow, in military terms, is “disturbing”, following reports that Iran has sent several ballistic missile shipments to Russia.

Reuters reported on February 21st that Iran has supplied Russia with hundreds of rockets through four shipments since January, and an anonymous Iranian military official was quoted as saying that “would have more shipments in the coming weeks”.

While Ukrainian and Western officials have not yet publicly confirmed Reuters reporting, this development is in line with US warnings.

An American State Department spokesman told Free Europe Radio that since it cannot directly comment on reporting, increased military co-operation between Iran and Russia “is something that should concern the whole world”.

For a long time we have warned that Russia was negotiating with Iran for the purchase of short-range ballistic missiles, and these negotiations were actively advancing”, the UN spokesman said.

According to this spokesman, the growing reports between Tehran and Moscow were made after Russia “became more isolated” since the start of its neighbour's invasion, Ukraine, on February 24th, 2022.

On February 20th, a spokesman for the Iranian Defence Ministry insisted that his state's military co-operation with Russia “has nothing to do with the war in Ukraine” and dates back to the start of the conflict.

After the launch of Ukraine's Russian occupation, Moscow was hit by severe Western sanctions, passing it on to Iran as the world's most sanctioned state.

Both countries have deepened reports since the war began, expanding their economic and military co-operation.

Iran has supplied Russia with subs “kamikaze” Checked, they're free but effective. Moscow often uses these species of fears to target civilian infrastructure limits in Ukraine.

Iran has denied that it has supplied Russia with fear of using them against Ukraine and has insisted it has sold “a limited number of Moscow fears before the start of the war. Russia has also refused reports that it uses Iranian fears in war.

However, the Russian Defence Ministry in July 2023 appeared to have confirmed in its monthly magazine that the Geran-2 strain was actually the threat of Iranian production, Shahed-136.

Reuters said Iranian shipments included short-range ballistic missiles of Fateh-110 species and Zolfaqar.

This report comes after United Nations restrictions on imports and missile exports from Iran expired in October 2023, even though Britain and the European Union have declared they will continue to impose sanctions on Iran.

A month earlier, Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu has participated in a arms exhibition of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard in Tehran.

If confirmed, Russia's supply of Iranian missiles “would change the game, both in military and political terms”, said John Krzyzaniak, researcher on the Wisconsin project for nuclear weapons control.

It is more difficult to protect against missiles than drones, allowing Russia to carry out more devastating attacks from distant distances.

Krzyzzaniak added that trade would enable Iran an unexpected profit and an increase in reputation, but can also transform “into a bargaining tool in other deals with Russia”.

Last year there have been reports that Tehran has finalised an agreement with Moscow on the purchase of Sukhoi Su-35-like combat aircraft. In the past, observers have suggested that one of Iran's targets through Russia's weapons supply is to possess advanced combat aircraft.

Russia has begun its use in fighting northeastern missiles. However, Iran's short-range ballistic missiles have only been tested on the battlefield, said Nicole Grijewski, a researcher in the Carnegie nuclear peace policy programme.

According to her, since missile shipments would cement even more increased military co-operation between Tehran and Moscow, this from the West would be seen as escalation. / REL