Western countries` claims that Russia is going to produce Iranian drones on its territory are based on nothing, they are trying to divert attention from the problems around the restoration of the Iranian nuclear deal, Director of the Russian Foreign Ministry's Department for Non-Proliferation and Arms Control Vladimir Yermakov said in an interview with RIA Novosti.
Earlier, The Washington Post had reported, citing intelligence reports from the United States and its allies, that Moscow had allegedly agreed with Tehran to produce Iranian combat drones on Russian territory.
According to Yermakov, there was also no confirmation of "speculation about alleged deliveries of Iranian UAVs to Russia."
"Now, to save face, the authors of previous throw-ins have switched to the story that Russia is supposedly going to produce Iranian drones on its territory. Again, this is all ungrounded speculation, chasing 'fried' facts in order to distract the world's attention from the main thing - the fastest "restart" of the JCPOA in accordance with the parameters that were agreed upon back in 2015," Yermakov said.
Western countries claim that Iran is allegedly currently supplying drones to Russia for combat operations in Ukraine. Moscow and Tehran have denied such accusations. Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian said that Tehran was supplying Russia with drones months before the special operation in Ukraine. He also reported that Tehran was unable to hold a meeting with Kiev on the UAV issue due to the Ukrainian side's failure to show up.
Tehran categorically rejects allegations that Iran has transferred drones to Russia for use in the conflict in Ukraine, Iranian Permanent Representative to the United Nations Amir Saied Iravani told reporters earlier. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani denied newly emerged US media information about Iranian arms deliveries to Russia for use in the fighting in Ukraine. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that the topic of Russia's purchase of combat drones from Iran was artificially thrown into the American media.
In an interview with RIA Novosti, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Vershinin said that the Western countries are accusing Russia and Iran of cooperating in the delivery of unmanned aerial vehicles in order to disguise their inability to enforce the Iranian nuclear deal. He stressed that accusations by Western countries of such supplies are groundless and that they are trying to justify their own illegal arms supplies to Kiev.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Russian Foreign Ministry
Based on materials from RIA Novosti