- September 8, 2024
- 4:57 pm
- Ukraine
Iran officially denies supplying weapons to Russia, including Fateh missiles. However, an unexpected admission of such supplies came from Iranian MP Ahmad Bakhshaesh Ardestani.
This member of the parliamentary commission on national security and foreign policy in an interview with Iranian media On September 8, 2024, he confirmed that Iran and Russia have barter deals in which Tehran supplies Moscow with missiles and drones in exchange for agricultural goods such as wheat and soybeans.
Ardestani stated directly:
“We supply missiles to the Palestinian group Hamas, Lebanon’s Hezbollah and Iraq’s Hashd al-Shaab, why not supply them to Russia?”
The statement contradicts the official line of Iranian authorities, who continue to deny any arms supplies to Russia. Iran's UN ambassador, Amir Saeed Iravani, recently called the Western accusations “baseless” and “an attempt to mislead the world community.”
Despite Tehran’s denials, Iran has already sent Russia a batch of short-range ballistic missiles, according to The Wall Street Journal. Europe and the United States are planning to impose additional sanctions against Iran in response to these actions. Moreover, experts warn that the next deliveries could include longer-range missiles. Iran has already given Russia hundreds of drones that have been actively used in the full-scale war against Ukraine. The transfer of ballistic missiles marks a new stage in the escalation of the conflict, which threatens to expand hostilities and increase casualties.
Russia is likely to use Iranian missiles such as Ababil and Fateh-360 for short-range strikes, while Iskander missiles are used for longer-range attacks. This strengthens Russia's military capabilities, which directly affects Ukraine. Russia's systematic supply of weapons allows it to compensate for its own losses at the front, which prolongs the military action. The Ukrainian army faces new threats in the form of more accurate and long-range missiles, which complicates the defense of civilian facilities and infrastructure.
For Ukraine, this is an extremely negative development, since each new shipment of weapons from Iran increases Russia’s firepower and increases the pressure on Ukrainian forces. Moreover, it undermines international efforts to isolate Moscow and increases the need for additional Western support for Ukraine, both militarily and economically.
For Israel, the situation is also a matter of grave concern. Iran has long supported organizations hostile to Israel, such as Hamas and Hezbollah, which in itself poses a threat to national security. Now, by strengthening Russia, Iran is gaining even more influence on the international stage, which could lead to the expansion of its military activities in the Middle East region. Israel has long tried to maintain a neutral position regarding the war in Ukraine, but the strengthening of ties between Russia and Iran may force it to reconsider its policy and more actively support the Ukrainian side in order to weaken this alliance.
Thus, Iran's arms supplies to Russia threaten not only Ukraine, but also create a new round of instability in the Middle East region, threatening Israel as well. Israel will likely be forced to intensify its diplomatic efforts in the international arena to prevent further strengthening of Iranian military power, as well as to increase its military readiness to protect itself from possible new threats.
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