Iran Calls On The West To End Arms Supplies To Ukraine

Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian on Thursday called for halting Western supply of weapons to Ukraine, saying it will lead to more death and damages.

He made his comment at a joint news conference with his Pakistani counterpart Bilawal Bhutto Zardari in the capital, Islamabad.

Amir-Abdollahian arrived in Pakistan on a three-day visit the previous day.

Iran, which has been an ally of Russia in Syria and has been delivering killer drones to Moscow to use in Ukraine, has in the past claimed neutrality in the conflict.

At the news conference, Amir-Abdollahian said, “On Ukraine, we have said this all the time that we believe war is not the way and not the solution.”

However, the government media in Tehran has displayed clear support for Russia and the government or Islamic Republic officials have never condemned Moscow's attacks on civilians. So far, Russia has used hundreds of Iranian-made drones against Ukrainian civilian and infrastructure targets.

"We believe that it is a source of great concern that the United States and some Western countries keep arming Ukraine," he added.

Ukraine says that without the ability to defend itself against Russian aggression there will be no peace but instead loss of its independence and total subjugation to Russia. Many in the West believe that if Moscow is allowed to conquer Ukraine it will continue its aggression against other European countries.

The United States and its NATO allies have warned Iran not to continue its arms supplies to Russia and have imposed a series of sanctions on Tehran.

Pakistan has called for resolving the issue of Ukraine through dialogue since last year, without directly condemning the Russian invasion.

Both foreign ministers also spoke on economic relations between the two countries during the conference.

Amir-Abdollahian said both Pakistan and Iran "remain committed and determined" to move "away from borders that are mostly characterized by security concerns and issues" and more towards making them what he called "borders of economy and trade that can serve the interest of the two countries at the national level.”

Iran is under US nuclear and other sanctions restricting its oil exports and international banking, which has isolated the country from the international financial system. Pakistan is also in a difficult economic situation.

Iran also has serious issues with the Taliban in Afghanistan and may be hoping for Pakistani assistance in that regard.

Pakistan’s foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that “The five-year trade cooperation plan between Pakistan and Iran 2023 to 2028, which inter ally sets a bilateral trade target of US 5 billion dollars prioritizes removing impediments on bilateral trade, finalization of the free trade agreement, and the establishment of institutional linkages between our respective private sectors”.

With reporting by AP