Iran acknowledges drone shipments to Russia before Ukraine war - Reuters

Nov 5 (Reuters) - Iran acknowledged for the archetypal clip connected Saturday that it had supplied Moscow with drones but said they were sent earlier the warfare successful Ukraine, wherever Russia has utilized drones to people powerfulness stations and civilian infrastructure.

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian said a "small number" of drones had been supplied to Russia a fewer months earlier Moscow's forces invaded Ukraine connected Feb. 24.

In Iran's astir elaborate effect to day connected the drones, Amirabdollahian denied Tehran was continuing to proviso drones to Moscow.

"This fuss made by immoderate Western countries that Iran has provided missiles and drones to Russia to assistance the warfare successful Ukraine - the rocket portion is wholly wrong," the authoritative IRNA quality bureau quoted him arsenic saying.

"The drone portion is existent and we provided Russia a tiny fig of drones months earlier the Ukraine war," helium said.

In caller weeks Ukraine has reported a surge successful drone attacks connected civilian infrastructure, notably targeting powerfulness stations and dams, utilizing Iranian-made Shahed-136 drones. Russia denies its forces person utilized Iranian drones to onslaught Ukraine.

Last month, 2 elder Iranian officials and 2 Iranian diplomats told Reuters that Iran had promised to supply Russia with surface-to-surface missiles, successful summation to much drones.

The authoritative IRNA quality bureau quoted Amirabdollahian arsenic saying Tehran and Kyiv had agreed to sermon allegations astir the usage of Iranian drones successful Ukraine 2 weeks agone but the Ukrainians did not amusement up astatine the agreed meeting.

"We agreed with the overseas curate of Ukraine to supply america with documents they person that Russia utilized Iranian drones successful Ukraine," Amirabdollahian said, but the Ukrainian delegation pulled retired of the planned gathering astatine the past minute.

In a effect connected Facebook, Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Oleg Nikolenko said Amirabdollahian was spreading "insinuations astir an alleged refusal by the Ukrainian side" and added that "Ukraine is taught to spot lone facts".

The Iranian overseas curate repeated that Tehran would "not stay indifferent" if it were proven that Russia had utilized Iranian drones successful the warfare against Ukraine.

The European Union past period agreed caller sanctions connected Iran implicit its drone deliveries to Russia, and Britain imposed sanctions connected 3 Iranian subject figures and a defence shaper for supplying Russia with drones to onslaught civilian and infrastructure targets successful Ukraine.

Reporting by Gulf newsroom; Additional reporting by Dan Peleschuk; Editing by Jon Boyle

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