The United States has formally accused Iran of providing short-range ballistic missiles to Russia for its ongoing war in Ukraine. This accusation was made during a joint statement by U.S. and British officials in London.
According to U.S. Secretary of State, sanctions will be imposed on those involved in the transfer of these missiles to Russia. The U.S. believes that Russia has already received these missiles and is likely to deploy them in Ukraine in the coming weeks.
The U.S. Secretary of State highlighted that the supply of Iranian missiles to Russia allows for the expansion of Russia's arsenal to target areas further away from the front lines in Ukraine.
This development comes as Ukraine has launched a surprise offensive in Russia's Kursk region, gaining significant territory. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy has urged Western allies to provide missile support to strike deep inside Russia.
The British Foreign Secretary expressed concern over the Iranian missile transfers to Russia, describing it as a troubling escalation in the conflict.
Iran, however, has denied these allegations, stating that providing military assistance in conflicts that result in civilian casualties and destruction goes against its principles. Iran has called on all countries to refrain from supplying weapons to parties involved in the conflict.
Reports of the alleged missile transfers surfaced over the weekend based on U.S. intelligence sources. The U.S. and its allies have been cautioning Iran against transferring ballistic missiles to Russia, warning of the grave consequences it could have on the conflict in Ukraine.
The National Security Council has emphasized that any such transfer would significantly escalate Iran's support for Russia's aggression in Ukraine, leading to further civilian casualties.
