Representative image showing a ballistic missile.
Credit: Reuters Photo
By Alberto Nardelli and Natalia Drozdiak
Iran sent ballistic missiles to Russia to aid its war in Ukraine despite months of warnings by US and European officials not to do so, people familiar with the matter said.
Washington briefed allies on the evidence and the move is likely to be met with more US and European Union sanctions on Tehran, according to the people, who asked not to be identified discussing confidential assessments.
Iran is alleged to have provided Russia with hundreds of drones during Russia’s 2 1/2-year war against Ukraine, but the transfer of ballistic missiles marks deeper involvement in Moscow’s war. The US National Security Council didn’t immediately reply to a request for comment.
The Wall Street Journal was first to report the missiles had been transferred. Bloomberg reported earlier this week that European officials expected Iran to deliver the missiles to Russia imminently.
Iran’s permanent mission to the United Nations said in a statement to Bloomberg that the country’s position on the “Ukraine conflict remains unchanged” and it doesn’t provide military assistance to parties engaged in the war.
“Iran considers the provision of military assistance to the parties engaged in the conflict — which leads to increased human casualties, destruction of infrastructure, and a distancing from ceasefire negotiations — to be inhumane,” it said. “Thus, not only does Iran abstain from engaging in such actions itself, but it also calls upon other countries to cease the supply of weapons to the sides involved in the conflict.”