According to a report from the Associated Press on Saturday, the United States has notified its allies that it believes Iran has transferred short-range ballistic missiles to Russia for use in the Ukraine conflict.
Two anonymous sources familiar with the matter revealed this information but did not provide details regarding the quantity of weapons delivered or the timing of such transfers. However, they confirmed the findings of the US intelligence investigation.
The Wall Street Journal was the first to report on the investigation results from US intelligence agencies.
While the White House has refused to confirm the weapons transfer, it reiterated concerns about Iran’s continued support for Russia. The White House has been warning Iran for months not to transfer ballistic missiles to Russia.
A spokesperson from the National Security Council, Sean Savett, stated in a release that any transfer of ballistic missiles from Iran to Russia escalates Iran’s support for Russia’s aggression in Ukraine, leading to more civilian casualties. This partnership poses a threat to Europe’s security and demonstrates Iran’s destabilizing influence reaching beyond the Middle East to a global scale.
The US’s assessment of Iran comes at a time when the Kremlin is attempting to repel Ukraine’s sudden counteroffensive. Ukraine has recently taken around 500 square miles of land in the Kursk region from Russia. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is pressing allies to allow Ukraine to use Western-provided missiles to strike targets in Russia where Moscow is launching airstrikes.
Iran, as usual, has denied the results of the US intelligence investigation and refuted claims of providing weapons to Russia for the conflict in Ukraine.
The Iranian delegation to the United Nations stated that providing military aid to conflicting parties leading to increased casualties, infrastructure damage, and derailing ceasefire negotiations is inhumane. Iran stated that it does not engage in such actions and urged other countries to refrain from supplying weapons to conflicting parties.
CIA Director William Burns warned during an event in London on Saturday that the defense relationships between Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea are evolving in a troubling manner, posing a threat to Ukraine and Western allies in the Middle East.
The White House has declassified and disclosed several intelligence findings, revealing instances where North Korea has supplied ammunition and missiles to Russia for use in Ukraine, and Iran has provided attack drones to Moscow and assisted in establishing a drone manufacturing plant with the Kremlin.
US officials have mentioned that while Beijing has not directly provided weapons to Russia, it has sold a significant amount of machinery, microelectronics, and other technologies to Russia. Moscow is leveraging these technologies to produce missiles, tanks, aircraft, and other military equipment.
In recent months, the White House has had concerns about potential agreements between Iran and Russia.
In January of this year, the White House stated that US intelligence officials confirmed that the Russia-Iran transaction had not yet been completed but expressed worries that negotiations for Russia to acquire missiles from Iran were actively progressing.
The White House revealed that in September of last year, Iran hosted a senior Russian defense official, showcasing a range of ballistic missile systems, heightening US concerns about the imminent completion of the deal.
Apart from ballistic missiles, the US and other countries have taken steps to prevent the supply, sale, or transfer of items related to Iran and ballistic missiles. This includes issuing guidelines to private companies in the US and its allies to restrict Iran’s missile procurement activities, ensuring that these companies do not inadvertently support Iran’s research and development capabilities.
President Biden is set to hold a meeting at the White House next Friday with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre mentioned that continuing strong support for Ukraine against Russian aggression will be among the agenda items.
According to a Reuters report on September 3rd, US officials indicated that an agreement is imminent between the US and Ukraine to include Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles (JASSM) in the US comprehensive weapon aid plan. This announcement, expected to be made this fall, would put more regions within range of high-power precision-guided munitions, potentially significantly altering the strategic landscape of the Ukraine-Russia conflict.