2 years ago
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Image source, Getty Images
Russian President Vladimir Putin with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi successful July.
By Elsa Maishman & Sam Hancock
BBC News
Russia and Iran's narration has warmed to a afloat fledged defence partnership, the US has said.
Russia is giving an unprecedented level of subject support, said US nationalist information assembly spokesperson John Kirby.
The US has seen reports that the 2 countries are considering associated accumulation of lethal drones, helium added.
Co-operation betwixt Russia and Iran has been highlighted recently, with Ukraine accusing Russia of utilizing Iranian drones successful its attacks.
Iran initially denied sending immoderate drones to Russia, but aboriginal admitted it had supplied immoderate earlier the penetration of Ukraine.
Mr Kirby said that a concern betwixt Iran and Russia to nutrient drones would beryllium harmful to Ukraine, Iran's neighbours and the planetary community.
"Russia is seeking to collaborate with Iran successful areas similar weapons development, training," helium said, adding that the US fears that Russia intended to "provide Iran with precocious subject components" including helicopters and aerial defence systems.
"Iran has go Russia's apical subject backer..." helium said. "Russia's been utilizing Iranian drones to onslaught vigor infrastructure, depriving millions of Ukrainians of power, heat, captious services. People successful Ukraine contiguous are really dying arsenic a effect of Iran's actions."
In effect to Mr Kirby's comments, UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said that Iran had go 1 of Russia's main subject supporters and that the narration betwixt them was threatening planetary security.
The "sordid deals" betwixt the 2 countries person seen Iran nonstop hundreds of drones to Russia, helium said.
"In return, Russia is offering subject and method enactment to the Iranian regime, which volition summation the hazard it poses to our partners successful the Middle East and to planetary security," helium added.
He said the UK agreed with the US that Iranian enactment for the Russian subject would turn successful the coming months arsenic Russia tries to get clasp of much weapons, including hundreds of ballistic missiles.
Ukraine accused Iran of supplying Russia with "kamikaze" drones utilized successful a bid of attacks which killed astatine slightest 8 radical connected 17 October.
Iran initially denied this, but aboriginal admitted sending a "limited number" of drones to Russia, "many months" earlier the warfare successful Ukraine.
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky said this was a prevarication and that Ukraine was shooting down astir 10 Iranian drones a day.
Image source, Reuters
Image caption,Russia's warfare connected Ukraine continues to effect galore cities and regions, including Bakhmut successful the Donbas
In different developments:
- Russia has turned the Ukrainian metropolis of Bakhmut into "burnt ruins", President Zelensky says, following months of deadly fighting successful the eastbound Donbas region
- The United Nations says Belarus volition let the transit of Ukrainian atom done its territory for export from Lithuanian ports
- The caput of a Ukrainian quality rights organisation that was jointly awarded this year's Nobel Peace Prize - Oleksandra Matviichuk of the Centre for Civil Liberties - has called connected nations to acceptable up an planetary tribunal to effort Russian President Vladimir Putin for Russia's warfare successful Ukraine
- The International Olympic Committee says it volition research a connection to let athletes from Russia and Belarus to instrumentality portion successful sporting events successful Asia - contempt an planetary ban
Watch: Operating connected a babe successful the acheronian aft missiles deed Kyiv
English (US)