Russia sends drones to Iran - FT

Russia is close to completing a phased supply of drones, medical supplies, and food to Iran, according to Western intelligence reports detailing Moscow's efforts to maintain its ally's combat readiness, the Financial Times reports, writes UNN.

Details

"Senior Iranian and Russian officials began secretly discussing drone supplies days after an Israeli and US attack on Tehran," two sources familiar with the intelligence said. "Processing of the shipments began in early March and was expected to be completed by the end of the month," the publication writes.

Moscow has close ties with Tehran and provides its ally with crucial support, including satellite imagery, targeting data, and intelligence support, sources familiar with the situation said.

The supply of weapons, such as drones, would be the first indication of Moscow's willingness to provide lethal support to Iran since the beginning of the war, the publication notes.

When asked about Moscow's drone supplies to Iran, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: "There are many fakes circulating now. One thing is certain - we continue dialogue with the Iranian leadership."

A senior Western official stated that "Moscow is intervening not only to strengthen the combat capability of the Iranians, but also to ensure broader political stability of the Tehran regime."

In the public sphere, Moscow has emphasized humanitarian aid since the beginning of the conflict, stating last week that it had sent over 13 tons of medical supplies to Iran via Azerbaijan and plans to continue deliveries.

Antonio Giustozzi, a senior research fellow at the Royal United Services Institute, stated that, according to independent information from sources in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, negotiations with Russia on drone supplies began immediately after the US and Israeli strikes on Iran.

One Western security official stated that they had not determined the exact class of drones that Russia agreed to send to Iran this month. He added that "Moscow will only be able to supply models such as the Geran-2, based on the Iranian Shahed-136."

According to sources familiar with the situation, Israel last week struck a key military equipment transfer route between Russia and Iran on the Caspian Sea.

Nicole Grajewski, a professor at Sciences Po University in Paris who studies Russian-Iranian relations, said that Tehran may want to reverse-engineer the drones to improve its own systems.

Tehran also approached Russia with a request for more advanced air defense systems and in December last year concluded an agreement for the supply of 500 Verba man-portable launchers and 2500 9M336 missiles over three years, the publication writes.

However, Russia rejected Iran's requests for the S-400, one of Moscow's most advanced air defense systems, current and former Western officials said. The Kremlin likely views such a move as a risk of escalating tensions with the United States. Iranian military personnel would require extensive training and instruction to operate the complex S-400 system, meaning that Russian crews would effectively be targeting American aircraft in combat conditions, they added.

As the publication indicates, Russia and Iran signed a strategic partnership agreement last year, which, surprisingly, did not provide for mutual defense.

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