Ukraine war: Iran agrees to ship missiles, more kamikaze drones to Russia
- Moscow had asked for surface-to-surface weapons with improved accuracy, particularly the Fateh and Zolfaghar missiles, an Iranian diplomat says
- Ukraine has reported a spate of Russian attacks using Iranian-made Shahed-136 drones in recent weeks
Iran has promised to provide Russia with surface-to-surface missiles, in addition to more drones, two senior Iranian officials and two Iranian diplomats said, a move that is likely to infuriate the United States and other Western powers.
A deal was reached on October 6 when Iran’s First Vice-President Mohammad Mokhber, two senior officials from Iran’s powerful Revolutionary Guards and an official from the Supreme National Security Council visited Moscow for talks with Russia about the delivery of the weapons.
“The Russians had asked for more drones and those Iranian ballistic missiles with improved accuracy, particularly the Fateh and Zolfaghar missiles family,” said one of the Iranian diplomats, who was briefed about the trip.
A Western official briefed on the matter confirmed it, saying there was an agreement in place between Iran and Russia to provide surface-to-surface short-range ballistic missiles, including the Zolfaghar.
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Ukrainian military shoots down Russian ‘kamikaze’ drone from the ground during deadly strikes
One of the drones Iran agreed to supply is the Shahed-136, a delta-winged weapon used as a “kamikaze” air-to-surface attack aircraft. It carries a small warhead that explodes on impact.
Fateh-110 and Zolfaghar are Iranian short-range surface to surface ballistic missiles capable of striking targets at distances of between 300km and 700km (186 and 435 miles).
