On Monday, July 11, the White House told reporters that it believes Russia is tapping the support of Iran in its ongoing conflict with Ukraine by sending them "hundreds" of unmanned aerial vehicles, including drones with weapons, according to Nikkei Asia's report.
U.S. Claims Holding 'Information' About Russia and Iran
Jake Sullivan, the national security advisor for the United States, stated that it is unknown whether Iran has already delivered to Russia any of the unmanned systems. However, he claimed that the U.S. holds "information," implying that Russia's military will be trained by Iran as early as this month.
Sullivan further claimed that Moscow's heavy barrages of weapons against Ukraine, which helped it solidify victories in the east of Ukraine recently, is evidence that was hurting the sustainment of its weaponry.
As noted by Nikkei Asia, Sullivan's announcement follows President Joe Biden's travel to Saudi Arabia and Israel, where Iran's nuclear program and nefarious activities in the area will be a significant topic of conversation.
As Israel and Saudi Arabia have refused to embrace international efforts to penalize Russia for its invasion of Ukraine owing to their personal interests, the U.S. has decided to openly disclose that the two countries' main regional rival was aiding Russia in its war weapons.
The Houthi rebels in Yemen used similar unmanned aerial vehicles backed by Iran to strike Saudi Arabia before a halt was negotiated earlier this year, according to Sullivan.
Nikkei Asia further reported that Iran is the inventor of so-called loitering munitions, or "kamikaze" drones comparable to the Switchblade that the U.S. has given Ukraine.
Iran's Track Record of Flying Drones
Iran is a reasonable choice for Russia to acquire drones from, according to military expert Samuel Bendett of the CNA think tank. Iran has been honing its drone warfare force for at least 20 years, and they have engaged in more conflict with drones than the Russians.
Bendett added in his statement with Nikkei Asia that Iran has a solid track record of flying drones hundreds of kilometers and nailing their aims, including breaching air defenses provided by the U.S. and attacking Saudi oil installations.
He also claimed that the Iranian drones could target Ukrainian power plants, refineries, and other vital infrastructure with great efficiency.
Before the conflict in Ukraine, Russia had obtained a drone license from an established supplier Israel for its Forpost UAV, according to Bendett. Moscow no longer has access to that supply since the Jewish state has maintained its neutrality in the Russia-Ukraine war.
Since the Russian invasion broke out in February, the U.S. and several allies have supported Ukraine with weapons that are worth billions of dollars. Sullivan assured that the U.S. would continue its "effective defense of Ukraine."
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Written by Joaquin Victor Tacla
