Ukraine warns Iran of 'devastating consequences' if it hands over ballistic missiles to Russia

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The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry expressed deep concern over reports of Iran's possible transfer of ballistic missiles to Russia. In a statement, published on September 7, 2024the agency once again called on the Iranian leadership to refrain from supplying weapons and military equipment to Russia, which, according to the UN Charter and international law, is considered an aggressor state.

The Foreign Ministry stressed that Ukraine has been suffering daily from Russian terrorist attacks, including Iranian-made drone attacks, for over two years. The deepening military-technical cooperation between Russia and Iran creates serious security threats not only for Ukraine, but also for all of Europe, the Middle East, and the world. The ministry called on the international community to increase pressure on Tehran and Moscow to protect international peace and security.

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The Foreign Ministry also stated that Iran must completely stop providing weapons to Russia in order to prove the sincerity of its statements about not supporting the Russian military machine. Finally, Ukrainian diplomacy warned that confirmation of the fact of Iran transferring ballistic missiles to Russia would lead to devastating consequences for Ukrainian-Iranian bilateral relations.

On September 6, The Wall Street Journal reported that Iran had already transferred short-range ballistic missiles to Russia. However, on September 7, Iran's mission to the UN denied these reports, stating that “Iran considers it inhumane to provide military assistance to parties involved in the conflict.”

Ambassador of Israel to Ukraine called September 7, 2024:

“According to the WSJ, Iran has sent hundreds of short-range missiles to Russia. Very soon, these missiles will be used to shell Ukrainian cities. It is high time to recognize the IRGC (Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps) as a terrorist organization and ban its activities in Ukraine. Iran is our common enemy, and we can and must confront it together.”

Iran vs Ukraine

On August 25, 2024, a brigadier general of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) was charged in connection with Russian aggression against Ukraine. This became known on August 24, 2024, from the Office of the Prosecutor General and the Security Service of Ukraine.

The SBU has established that Iran participated in the aggressive war against Ukraine and collected evidence indicating that Iranian IRGC Brigadier General Sharifi Molasarei Abbas Musa actively assisted Russian forces in conducting airstrikes in Ukraine using Iranian drones. Iran, in turn, denies these allegations. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Kanaani denied the SBU's claims about General Abbas Musa's personal presence in Crimea in 2022 to train Russian troops in the use of Iranian drones. According to him, such accusations pursue political goals and contradict the Islamic Republic's approach to the conflict in Ukraine.

In addition, following the SBU's report that an Iranian general was suspected of training Russian UAV operators, an IRGC officer believed to be serving in the Quds Force, Mohammad Mehdi Babaei, stated that if one of their generals were killed, they reserve the right to respond to Ukraine at the right time and place.

In recent years, relations between Iran and Ukraine have become sharply tense and conflictual, mainly due to the following issues:

Downed passenger plane: The key moment in the deterioration of relations was the downing of Ukrainian passenger jet PS752 in January 2020. Iran admitted responsibility for the tragedy, which killed 176 people, but Tehran’s actions to investigate and compensate victims were considered inadequate and opaque. This prompted sharp condemnation from Ukraine and the international community, adding a new layer of mistrust to relations between the two countries.
Iranian Drones for Russia: With the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the situation has worsened due to accusations against Iran of supplying drones to the Russian military. These drones have been actively used to attack Ukrainian cities and infrastructure, which has led to significant human casualties and destruction. Accusations against Iran of assisting Russian aggression have become a new blow to bilateral relations.
Military cooperation with Russia: Ukraine claims that Iran provides military assistance to Russia, including arms and technology, which contributes to the continuation of Russian aggression against Ukraine. These actions by Iran are considered as direct participation in aggression against Ukraine, which threatens not only Ukrainian security but also stability in the region.
Political and diplomatic accusations: Iran's response to Ukraine's and the international community's accusations is often described as belated and lacking conviction. Tehran has tried to refute the accusations, claiming that they are politically motivated, but Iran's actions continue to reinforce negative perceptions from Ukraine and the international community.

These issues reflect deep and growing tensions in relations between Iran and Ukraine, highlighting serious diplomatic and political differences that are difficult to resolve.

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