Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Monday that Russia had ordered “about 2,000 Iranian Shaheds”, suicide drones, to support its invasion of Ukraine.
“We are against arming both Russia and Ukraine in the war in Ukraine,” Amir-Abdullahian said in video reports released by local media.
“We are not supplying weapons or drones to Russia to use in the war against Ukraine,” he said, repeating earlier denials while acknowledging security cooperation between Tehran and Moscow.
The Iranian minister reaffirmed his country’s willingness to hold direct talks with Ukraine on the matter, stressing that he had sent a message to the diplomatic chief of the European Union (EU).
“I told Mr. Porell that if it becomes clear to us that Russia has used Iranian drones against Ukraine, we will certainly not be indifferent to this matter,” he said.
In recent weeks, Ukraine and its Western allies have accused Moscow of using Iranian-made drones in attacks on Ukraine.
Iran has denied the allegations, while the Kremlin has argued that the West is trying to “put pressure” on Tehran.
Last week, the EU and UK announced new sanctions against Iran, targeting three generals and an arms company “responsible for supplying Russia with suicide drones” for bombing Ukraine.
On Monday, Foreign Affairs spokesman Nasser Khanani in Tehran rejected US allegations that Iranian military personnel were stationed in the Moscow-annexed Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea, helping the Russians operate drones launched against energy infrastructure and cities in Ukraine.
“We strongly condemn these accusations that the war in Ukraine (…) is aimed at diverting public opinion by (…) massive export of weapons and equipment,” he stressed.
In September, Kyiv decided to severely cut diplomatic ties with Tehran over alleged arms supplies to Moscow.
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