euters reports Iran sent hundreds of ballistic missiles to Russia, including the Zolfaghar model with a range of 300-700 km.
Iran Transfers Hundreds of Ballistic Missiles to Russia
Reuters reports that Iran has transferred about 400 surface-to-surface ballistic missiles to Russia, citing several sources in Tehran.
The news agency notes that the new shipments include Zolfaghar missiles, which experts say can hit targets at a range of 300 to 700 kilometers.
According to Reuters, the missile shipments from Iran to Russia began in early January after representatives of the two countries reached an agreement at meetings in Tehran and Moscow late last year.
One of the Iranian sources told Reuters that Tehran has supplied missiles to Russia at least four times and that there will be more in the coming weeks. Some of the missiles were sent to Russia by ship across the Caspian Sea, and some by plane.
"There will be other supplies. There is no reason to hide it. We are allowed to export weapons to any country we want," another Iranian official told Reuters.
According to Andriy Chernyak, a representative of the Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine, the Ukrainian side is currently checking the possibility of Iran transferring missiles to Russia and is monitoring the situation, writes RBC-Ukraine.
At the same time, a source for the publication in the special services called the supply of Iranian missiles to Russia unlikely. He added that such facts have not yet been recorded by the Ukrainian special services.
Iran has become the first country to start supplying Russia with weapons for the war in Ukraine. Thus, the Russian army stably receives Shahed strike drones from Iran, which are used to attack Ukrainian cities and infrastructure. In addition, Iran helped Russia establish its own production of these drones.
In addition to Iran, North Korea supplies its weapons to the Russians. Initially, Russia received artillery shells and ammunition for MLRS from the DPRK. However, it recently became known that North Korea transferred its ballistic missiles to Russia. The Russians have already attacked Ukraine with these missiles.
In early January, White House National Security Spokesman John Kirby said the United States was concerned that Russia was close to acquiring short-range ballistic weapons from Iran in addition to missiles already received from the DPRK.
A US official told Reuters that Washington had seen evidence of active negotiations moving forward, but there was no sign yet that the shipments had taken place.
Andriy Yusov, a representative of the Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine, said that there is a threat of supplies of ballistic missiles to Russia from Iran, since the Russian military-industrial complex is not coping with the plans.