Russia to begin sending drones to Iran in first evidence Moscow will provide military support in war, officials said
Russia will reportedly begin sending drones, medicine and food to its ally Iran in order to support its ongoing military efforts against the United States and Israel.
Western intelligence reports claim that Moscow and Tehran held secret talks on the supply of drones shortly after the start of the war. Finance Times reported.
The Russians have already provided Iran with satellite imagery, target data and intelligence support, but the drones will be the potentially lethal first aid they provide.
Russia has denied helping Iran in its month-long conflict with the United States and Israel. Washington also said it had been denied direct aid from Moscow when the issue was discussed earlier this month.
Russia emphasized the need for humanitarian aid, saying publicly that it has sent over 13 tons of medicine to Tehran via Azerbaijan and will continue to do so.
Moscow will be limited in terms of the drone models it can send, including Geran-2 and Shahed-136 “kamikaze” drones, security officials told the Financial Times.
The two countries reached an agreement last year on a strategic partnership that does not include a commitment to mutual defense.
A Kremlin spokesman neither confirmed nor denied the reports on Wednesday.
‘There are a lot of fakes floating around at the moment. “There is only one thing that is right: we continue our dialogue with the Iranian leadership,” said Dmitry Peskov.
Russia will reportedly begin sending drones, medicine and food to its ally Iran in order to support its efforts against the United States and Israel.
In an interview with Iranian state television late Wednesday, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also said there were no talks with the United States.
Earlier Wednesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky claimed that Russia was trying to blackmail the United States by offering to stop sharing military intelligence with Iran in exchange for Washington separating Kiev from intelligence data.
Zelensky, who said on Monday that Ukraine’s military intelligence had “irrefutable” evidence that Russia continues to provide intelligence to Iran, told Reuters he had seen the data but did not provide further details.
Speaking at the presidential compound in Kiev, Zelensky said some Iranian drones used to attack US military assets and allies during the war in the Middle East contained Russian components.
‘I have received reports from our intelligence services that Russia has done this and said: ‘If America stops giving intelligence to Ukraine, I will not pass intelligence to Iran.’ Isn’t this blackmail? Absolutely,” Zelensky said.
He did not say to whom he directed Russia’s comments, according to reports.
The president said Ukraine, which has faced constant attacks from Iranian-designed Shahed drones since Russia launched its invasion in 2022, is helping several Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, counter drone attacks on their territory.
Zelensky said he hoped Ukraine could make long-term agreements with some Gulf countries that would raise funds for the production of Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles or buy much-needed air defense missiles.
Earlier Wednesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky claimed that Russia was trying to blackmail the United States by offering to stop sharing military intelligence with Iran, in return for which Washington would remove Kiev from its intelligence data.
Security officials said they would be limited in the number of drone models they could send to Moscow, including the Geran-2 and Shahed-136 (pictured).
The Daily Mail has reached out to the Pentagon and US Central Command for comment.
This comes as Tehran has suggested there will be no talks to end the war, despite suggestions from Washington that it could happen this week.
In an interview with Iranian state television late Wednesday, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also said there were no talks with the United States.
Press TV, the English-language broadcaster of Iranian state television, quoted an unnamed official as saying that Iran rejected America’s ceasefire offer.
Press TV’s news came after Pakistan conveyed the proposal to Iran.
“Iran will end the war when it decides to do so and its conditions are met,” Press TV quoted the official as saying.
The official added that Tehran will continue its “heavy blows” towards the Middle East.
Press TV, like all conservative-controlled state television channels, presented its own five-point plan to the official, who rejected the US offer.
This included stopping the killing of its officials, ways to ensure that another war would not be waged against it, war reparations, an end to hostilities, and Iran’s ‘exercise of sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz’.
These measures, especially reparations and continued control over the Strait of Hormuz, would likely be unacceptable to the White House as worldwide energy supplies continue to be affected by the war.
‘There have been no negotiations with the enemy so far and we are not planning any negotiations,’ he said.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt insisted the United States was in talks, although Iranian officials denied this.
‘Negotiations continue. “As the president said on Monday, they are productive and continue to be,” Leavitt said at a White House briefing on Wednesday.
