Russia brands Iran ‘important partner’ amid reports of missile supplies

Russia has branded Iran an “important partner” as it failed to refute reports that Tehran is supplying it with short-range ballistic missiles.

A Kremlin spokesman made the comments on Monday, as the European Union said that it has “credible information” regarding the supply of missiles to Russia’s forces waging war on Ukraine. Moscow and Tehran have drawn closer since Moscow launched its invasion in February 2022, with Iran supplying its Shahed drones.

The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday that missiles are now also being supplied. The EU backed that claim up on Monday, as a spokesman said that its allies have shared such intelligence and warned of new sanctions on Tehran if the deliveries were confirmed.

Although Iran has sought to deny the report, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov failed to follow suit.

“We have seen this report; it is not every time that this kind of information is true,” he said.

“Iran is our important partner. We are developing our trade and economic relations, we are developing our cooperation and dialogue in all possible areas, including the most sensitive areas,” Peskov added.

The United States government warned on Friday that any Iranian transfer of ballistic missiles to Russia would mark a sharp escalation in the Ukraine war.

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Iranian officials issued a strong denial on Monday.

“We strongly reject the claims of Iran’s role in exporting arms to one side of the war,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani told a news conference.

“Iran’s accusers are the ones who are among the biggest arms exporters to one side of the war,” he added, reiterating that Tehran “is not part of the war” in Ukraine.

However, Brussels moved to back up the US reports.

“We are looking further into it with our member states and if confirmed, this delivery would represent a substantive material escalation in Iran’s support for Russia’s illegal war of aggression against Ukraine,” EU spokesman Peter Stano said.

“The EU leaders’ unanimous position has always been clear. The European Union will respond swiftly and in coordination with international partners, including with new and significant restrictive measures against Iran,” Stano added.

Punishing Western sanctions have pushed Moscow to turn to Iran and North Korea for weapons supplies to fight Ukraine.

Last week, Kyiv warned of the threat that deepening military cooperation between Tehran and Moscow poses not only to Ukraine but also the wider region and Europe, and called on the international community to increase pressure on the pair.

By agencies.