London Says Russia Wants Iranian Missiles For Ukraine

The United Kingdom ambassador to the United Nations said Friday that Russia was trying to obtain more weapons from Iran, including hundreds of ballistic missiles.

Barbara Woodward’s suggestion came two days after two United States spokesmen said Washington had no evidence that Iran had transferred missiles to Russia for the Ukraine war.

These statements followed Associated Press citing un-named officials “familiar with the matter” that Russia was looking to Tehran to replenish stocks of both military drones and surface-to-surface missiles.

Woodward said Iran’s weapons proliferation poses real and significant threat to international community. She added that Britain is concerned that Russia intends to provide Iran with more advanced military components.

With no sign of talks between the US and Russia to end the conflict, and with American officials suggesting any terms are for Ukraine to decide, both sides in the conflict are looking to replenish spent stocks or gain new weapons.

Both have used drones, or UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles). Tehran said early November it had supplied a small number to Russia before the current phase of the Ukraine conflict, beginning February, whereas Ukraine has used US and Turkish drones as well as the Soviet-era UAVs used in this week’s attacks deep inside Russia.

US State Department Spokesman Ned Price said Wednesday that while Washington was “voicing concerns” that “Russia could look to Iran for ballistic missile technology,” the US had no “information to share at this point regarding current deliveries of ballistic missiles.”