Iran - Russia Weapons Swap Presents Challenges In The Region, U.S. Says

The State Department on Tuesday expressed its concerns over the challenges that the Iran-Russia partnership presents "not only to Ukraine, but to Iran’s neighbors in the region as well," as the Department spokesperson Ned Price put it, TURAN's Washington correspondent reports.

"Iran has a track record not only of using its instruments of the state to conduct violent, destabilizing actions through the region, but providing support to terrorist groups, to proxies, to others who themselves have a destabilizing and profoundly unhelpful influence across the region." Price said when asked by TURAN about Iran's reportedly attempting to receive advanced military components from Russia in exchange for hundreds of drones.

British defense minister Ben Wallace said early on Tuesday that Iran "has become one of Russia top military backers. In return for having supplied more than 300 kamikaze drones, Russia now intends to provide Iran with advanced military components, undermining both Middle East and international security."

While Wallace didn’t provide details on the types of components Russia wants to give Tehran, his accusation is an effort to sound the alarm for the West to do more to expose the potential deal. Both the U.S, and the EU have already targeted Iran with a series of sanctions for providing Russia.

Price reminded that the U.S. had spoke about "the two-way nature of this relationship and the fact that in exchange for these armed UAVs, Russia is offering Iran an unprecedented level of military and technical support. It’s transforming their relationship into a full-fledged defense partnership."

When asked why Iran would need advanced military components from Russia, Price said "it’s not for us to speak to Iran’s intentions, what Iran might seek to do with the military and technical support that Russia is providing it. But you’ve heard from us consistently the track record of Iran that certainly gives us pause when Iran comes into possession of potentially greater know-how, more sophisticated technology, technical support expertise as well."

Alex Raufoglu

Washington D.C.