Ukraine’s foreign ministry voiced strong concerns on Saturday regarding reports of a possible transfer of Iranian ballistic missiles to Russia. In a statement sent to reporters, the ministry emphasized that the growing military cooperation between Tehran and Moscow threatens not only Ukraine but also Europe and the Middle East. It called on the international community to increase pressure on both Iran and Russia.
Reports from unidentified sources, as per media reports, indicate that Iran has already delivered short-range ballistic missiles to Russia. Furthermore, as per media reports, Russia was anticipating the arrival of hundreds of Fath-360 short-range ballistic missiles from Iran and that Russian military personnel were receiving training in Iran on the use of these satellite-guided weapons for the Ukraine conflict.
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The United States, a major ally of Ukraine, also expressed apprehension regarding the potential missile transfer. White House National Security Council spokesperson Sean Savett stated, “Any transfer of Iranian ballistic missiles to Russia would represent a dramatic escalation in Iran’s support for Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.”
In response, Iran’s mission to the United Nations in New York reaffirmed that its position on the Ukraine conflict remains unchanged. The statement declared: “Iran views the provision of military assistance to parties involved in the conflict—which leads to increased human casualties, the destruction of infrastructure, and further distances ceasefire negotiations—as inhumane. Therefore, Iran not only refrains from such actions itself but also calls on other countries to stop supplying weapons to those involved in the conflict.”
Earlier on Friday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy raised concerns about the policies of Western allies and the speed of weapons deliveries. “We now hear that your long-term policies remain unchanged, but we are seeing a shortage of Atacms, Storm Shadows, and Scalp missiles, as well as cooperation issues,” Zelenskyy remarked at the Ramstein meeting.
In response, US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin announced an additional $250 million in military aid for Ukraine. Germany pledged to send 12 more self-propelled howitzers, while Canada plans to deliver 80,840 surplus small air-to-surface rockets and 1,300 warheads in the coming months.
(Includes inputs from online sources)
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