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In a significant development, Russia is reportedly preparing to dispatch drones, along with medicine and food, to support Iran amidst its ongoing military engagements with the United States and Israel.
According to Western intelligence, secret discussions between Moscow and Tehran regarding the supply of drones took place shortly after the conflict erupted, as reported by the Financial Times.
While Russia has already provided Iran with satellite imagery, targeting data, and intelligence, the introduction of drones marks the first instance of potentially lethal assistance being offered.
Despite these claims, Russia has officially denied any involvement in aiding Iran’s month-long conflict with the United States and Israel. The denial was echoed by Moscow earlier this month in discussions with Washington.
On a public front, Russia has announced the delivery of over 13 tons of medicine to Tehran through Azerbaijan, emphasizing its commitment to ongoing humanitarian aid efforts.
Moscow would be limited in terms of the kinds of models of drones they could send, including the Geran-2 and Shahed-136 ‘kamikaze’ drone, security officials told the Financial Times.
The two nations agreed to a strategic partnership last year that did not include a commitment to mutual defense.
A spokesperson for the Kremlin neither confirmed nor denied Wednesday’s reports.
Russia is reportedly set to begin shipping drones, medicine and food to its ally Iran in support of its efforts against the United States and Israel
In an interview with Iranian state TV late Wednesday, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also said that no talks with the United States have taken place
‘There are a lot of fakes going around right now. One thing is true — we are continuing our dialogue with the Iranian leadership,’ Dimitry Peskov said.
Earlier Wednesday, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky claimed Russia sought to blackmail the United States by offering to stop sharing military intelligence with Iran if, in return, Washington would cut off Kyiv from its intelligence data.
Zelensky, who said on Monday that Ukraine’s military intelligence has ‘irrefutable’ evidence that Russia is continuing to provide intelligence to Iran, told Reuters he had seen the data but provided no further details.
Speaking in his presidential compound in Kyiv, Zelensky said that some Iranian drones, used to attack US military assets and its allies during the war in the Middle East, contained Russian components.
‘I have reports from our intelligence services showing that Russia is doing this and saying: ‘I will not pass on intelligence to Iran if America stops passing intelligence to Ukraine.’ Isn’t that blackmail? Absolutely,’ Zelensky said.
He did not say who, according to the reports, Russia was addressing the comments to.
Ukraine, which has faced sustained attacks by Iranian-designed Shahed drones since Russia launched its invasion in 2022, is helping several Gulf states – including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar – to counter drone attacks on their territory, the president said.
Zelensky said he hoped that Ukraine would be able to reach long-term deals with some Gulf countries that would raise funds for the production of Ukrainian drone interceptors or receiving much-needed air-defense missiles.
Earlier Wednesday, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky claimed Russia sought to blackmail the United States by offering to stop sharing military intelligence with Iran if, in return, Washington would cut off Kyiv from its intelligence data
Moscow would be limited in terms of the kinds of models of drones they could send, including the Geran-2 and Shahed-136 (pictured), security officials said
The Daily Mail has reached out to the Pentagon and US Central Command for comment.
It comes as Tehran appeared to suggest that no talks toward ending the war were coming despite suggestions from Washington that they could happen this week.
In an interview with Iranian state TV late Wednesday, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also said that no talks with the United States have taken place.
Iranian state television’s English-language broadcaster, Press TV, quoted an anonymous official as saying Iran rejected America’s ceasefire proposal.
Press TV’s report came after Pakistan transmitted the proposal to Iran.
‘Iran will end the war when it decides to do so and when its own conditions are met,’ Press TV quoted the official as saying.
The official added Tehran will continue its ‘heavy blows’ across the Mideast.
Press TV, like all of state TV channels controlled by hard-liners, offered its own five-point plan from the official who rejected the US proposal.
It included a halt to killings of its officials, means to make sure no other war is waged against it, reparations for the war, the end of hostilities and Iran’s ‘exercise of sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz.’
Those measures, particularly reparations and its continued chokehold over the Strait of Hormuz, likely will be unacceptable to the White House as energy supplies worldwide remain affected by the war.
‘No negotiations have happened with the enemy until now, and we do not plan on any negotiations,’ he said.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt insisted the U.S. is in ongoing talks even as Iranian officials deny it.
‘Talks continue. They are productive, as the president said on Monday, and they continue to be,’ Leavitt said at a White House briefing on Wednesday.