No 10 condemns ‘sordid deal’ as Russia sends jet fighters to Iran
IRAN is to receive top-of-the-range fighter jets from Russia “within the next year” in exchange for the kamikaze drones sent to the battlefield in Ukraine, US sources said last night.
Downing Street and the White House last night warned that the “sordid deals” amount to a “large-scale military partnership” between Tehran and Moscow.
The US later warned that Russia was expanding and modernising its nuclear arsenal, already the largest in the world.
Russia is planning to send Tehran advanced military equipment and components, including helicopters and air defence systems, US intelligence said.
Biden administration officials said Iranian pilots were already being trained in Russia on how to fly the Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jet, indicating Iran “may begin receiving the aircraft within the next year”.
Speculation has swirled that Moscow may redirect 24 SU-35 jets grounded in Russia after an Egyptian order for them was cancelled.
The fighter jets would represent a significant modernisation to Iran’s ageing air force and would increase the threat posed by Iran across the Middle East and to Israel.
It came as the Ministry of Defence said yesterday that new Iranian drones were appearing in Ukraine, causing fresh havoc on the battlefield.
The White House last night said the Iran-russia relationship is transforming into “a full-fledged defence partnership” with weapons and military expertise flowing in both directions, the officials said.
James Cleverly, the Foreign Secretary, claimed the “sordid deals” between Russia and Iran are threatening global security. Meanwhile, Barbara Woodward, the UK’S ambassador to the UN, confirmed yesterday that Russia is trying to obtain more weapons from Iran, including hundreds of the missiles.
“In return, Russia is offering Iran an unprecedented level of military and technical support.
“We’re concerned that Russia intends to provide Iran with more advanced military components, which will allow Iran to strengthen their weapons capability,” she said.
The White House said last night: “This partnership poses a threat not just to Ukraine, but to Iran’s neighbours in the region.”
One senior administration official said: “We have shared this information with partners in the Middle East and
‘This partnership poses a threat not just to Ukraine, but to Iran’s neighbours in the region’
around the world.”
Russia and Iran have worked closely together to prop up the Bashar al-assad regime in Syria over the last decade.
However, Moscow is now bogged down in a conflict with Kyiv, while the Islamic Republic is facing unrest within its own borders.
Sanctioned by the West and facing isolation from much of the rest of the world, it has had to rely much more on the other for military support.
Lloyd Austin, the US defence secretary, said yesterday that Russia is modernising its nuclear arsenal.
“As the Kremlin continues its cruel and unprovoked war of choice against Ukraine, the whole world has seen Putin engage in deeply irresponsible nuclear sabre-rattling,” he said.