Nina Images / Shutterstock.com
Russia is looking to obtain more Iranian drones after depleting its stockpile striking Ukraine, said the White House on Monday.
According to findings by the Biden-administration last year, it is estimated that Iran, “Russia’s top military backer”, has previously sold Russia over 400 drones “enabling Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine”, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters.
The Iranian drones Russia has in its arsenal are ‘Shahed drones’- unmanned aerial vehicles packed with explosives. Russia is reportedly seeking to acquire more advanced drones “capable of more lethality”.
The Iranian Shahed drones were used alongside Kinzhal and Kalibr missiles and ballistic rockets in an aerial offensive against Ukraine in the early hours of Tuesday morning. The attack was one of the biggest since the Russian-invasion began, and allegedly damaged a US-supplied Patriot air defence battery which was shooting down Russian-launched missiles.
Kirby noted that the relationship between Russia and Iran “is a full-scale defence partnership that is harmful to Ukraine, to the region in the Middle East and to the international community”.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak met with Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy this week, pledging to supply Ukraine with long-range attack drones, aerial defence missiles, and to train Ukrainian pilots.
This week, Iran and Russia signed a major deal for a trade corridor between the countries. The proposed corridor will comprise of a 100-mile route running along the Caspian Sea coast and through Azerbaijan. It will be a key part of the International North-South Transport Corridor, a 7,200km combined road, rail and sea route aimed at moving goods from Russia via Central Asia to India.
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi commented that “without a doubt, this agreement is an important and strategic step in the direction of cooperation between Tehran and Moscow”.
President Putin noted that it “will help to significantly diversify global traffic flows”. It aims to rival the Suez Canal, and avoid Western routes and sanctions.
