Iran promises to send more drones, missiles to Russia, officials say

by Julia Mueller - 10/18/22 2:08 PM ET

FILE – This undated photograph released by the Ukrainian military’s Strategic Communications Directorate shows the wreckage of what Kyiv has described as an Iranian Shahed drone downed near Kupiansk, Ukraine. Ukraine’s military claimed on Sept. 13, 2022, for the first time that it encountered an Iranian-supplied suicide drone used by Russia on the battlefield. Russia’s unleashing of successive waves of the Iranian-made Shahed drones over Ukraine has multiple aims — take out key targets, crush morale and ultimately drain the enemy’s war chest and weapons trying to defend against them as the conflict evolves into a longer war of attrition. (Ukrainian military’s Strategic Communications Directorate via AP, File)

Iran struck a deal with Russia to supply surface-to-surface missiles and additional drones, including explosive “kamikaze” type drones like those that have pummeled Ukraine in recent days, according to a new report.

Reuters reported on Monday that senior Iranian officials and diplomats have confirmed an Oct. 6 agreement in Moscow that set the weapons’ delivery.

In the latest bout of Russian attacks, Ukrainian officials have reported an o nslaught of drone strikes that appeared to be Iranian-made Shahed-136 “ka mikaze” drones, unmanned explosives nicknamed after the suicide missions made by Japanese military pilots during World War II.

The Pentagon confirmed last month that Russia was using such weapons in its warfare.

Andriy Yermak, head of the office of the president of Ukraine, said in a Telegram post that the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv was hit Monday with a number of kamikaze drones that impacted at least one residential building. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed at least four had been killed in the strikes.

Ukrainian officials have since renewed their calls for a stronger air defense system, putting pressur e on the West to come to the country’s aid and to condemn Iran’s actions.

According to the Reuters report, an Iranian diplomat dismissed concerns that Iran’s move to supply Russia with weapons violates a United Nations resolution, arguing that the buyer’s use of the weapons is not up to the supplier.

A spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry reportedly denie d on Monday that Iran was providing Russia with drones, but the Biden administration has called those denials lies.

“Iran continues to lie about this. They have not been truthful about this and deny providing weapons to Russia for use in Ukraine. Meanwhile, according to these new reports, Iran is considering selling still more destructive weapons to support an invasion they claim to oppose,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said on Monday.