Ukraine’s Zelensky should learn from fate of leaders who counted on US support: Iran

The spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry has roundly rejected “unfounded” allegations that Tehran provided Moscow with a fleet of drones to be used in the Ukraine conflict, saying that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky should learn from the fate of the leaders who counted on support from the United States.

Nasser Kan’ani said on Thursday that the Islamic Republic of Iran has repeatedly responded to baseless accusations of Ukrainian authorities that the Russian army has employed Iranian unmanned aerial vehicles in its military campaign in the country, reiterating that his country has not and will not provide any weapons or military equipment to the sides involved in the Ukraine crisis.

“We have always respected the territorial integrity of other countries, including Ukraine. Mr. Zelensky should know that Iran may run out of strategic patience regarding such unsubstantiated accusations,” Kan’ani pointed out.

“Mr. Zelensky had better learn from fate of the leaders who relied on the US support,” the Iranian diplomat underlined.

Read more:

• ‘Submit evidence of Iranian drones if you have any,’ Tehran asks Kiev

Zelensky repeated his allegations regarding Iranian arms delivery to Russia to be used in the Ukraine war during his speech to the US Congress on Wednesday evening. 

“When Russia cannot reach our cities by its artillery, it tries to destroy them with missile attacks, and allies with Iran,” the Ukrainian president claimed, describing Iran as a “critical threat to our infrastructure.”

“It is just a matter of time before they strike your other allies if we don’t stop them now,” he further claimed.

Several minutes later, Zelensky made allegations about the deployment of Iranian drones in the Ukraine war.

Zelensky also asked US lawmakers to intensify sanctions against Russia over the war in Ukraine and to provide his forces with more weapons.

Iran has on several occasions asked for substantiated evidence on claims of drone deliveries to Russia against Ukraine.

On December 12, Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Ashtiani said Ukrainian experts had failed to produce any evidence for Kiev’s claims that Russia has employed Iranian military drones in the war in Ukraine.

He noted that experts from Iran and Ukraine have held a meeting to discuss the allegations.

Read more:

• Kiev offers no proof of alleged 'Russian use' of Iranian drones in Ukraine war: Iran defense chief

“In the technical meeting, the Ukrainian side did not present any document about Russia’s employment of Iranian drones in the war with that country (Ukraine) and shelved it for the next sessions,” the general said.

Dismissing the accusations that Iran has supplied UAVs for use in the Ukraine war, the Iranian defense minister said such rumors are based on unfounded claims.

The minister added that Iran and Russia have been involved in military cooperation since long ago and have not begun to form such interactions for the utilization of Iranian drones in the Ukraine war.

Read more:

• Iran rejects ‘illegal’ UN probe into alleged use of its drones in Ukraine

The anti-Iran claims first emerged in July, with US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan alleging that Washington had received “information” indicating that the Islamic Republic was preparing to provide Russia with “up to several hundred drones, including weapons-capable UAVs on an expedited timeline” for use in the war.

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian in November dismissed media controversy over Iran’s alleged support for Russia in the Ukraine war, adding, however, that Tehran had provided Moscow with a limited number of drones months before the war in Ukraine.

He also assured that Iran will not be indifferent if it is proven that Russia has used Iranian drones in the conflict.

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