Iran has firmly denied reports suggesting that it has supplied ballistic missiles to Russia for use in the ongoing conflict with Ukraine.
The Iranian Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York issued a statement rejecting these claims, which were circulating in Western media.
In a press release reported by the Iranian news agency IRNA, Iran reiterated its stance on the Ukraine war, emphasizing the need to avoid actions that could escalate hostilities.
The statement underlined that Iran considers military assistance to conflict parties, which increases casualties and destroys infrastructure, as inhumane. Iran not only refrains from engaging in such actions but also urges other nations to cease supplying weapons to those involved in the conflict.
American officials expressed concerns on Friday about what they described as a “serious escalation” in the Ukraine war, following Western media reports alleging that Iran had delivered short-range ballistic missiles to Russia.
These reports have heightened tensions and added to ongoing criticisms against Iran.
Western countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, and France, have frequently accused Iran of providing weaponry to Russia since the onset of the Ukraine war in February 2022.
Iran’s UN Ambassador, Amir Saeed Iravani, categorically rejected these allegations on Thursday. He labeled the claims as “baseless and misleading” in letters sent to the UN Secretary-General and the Security Council President.
Iravani accused the three countries making the allegations of being directly involved in the Ukraine conflict and significantly contributing to its escalation by supplying advanced weaponry.
Iravani criticized the supply of Western weapons, asserting that it has prolonged the conflict and caused further harm to civilians and civilian infrastructure.