No evidence of sale of Iranian drones to Moscow, Russia emphatically warns UN about investigation

JAKARTA - Russian diplomats say there is no evidence of selling Iranian drones to their country, warning that they will review their relations with the United Nations if they are linked to an investigation into allegations that Tehran used drones to attack Ukraine.

Russia's First Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations Dmitry Polyansky said Russia would reassess its relationship with the UN Secretariat and the secretary general if they participate in the investigation, launched in connection with claims of Iranian drone supplies to Russia.

"On the role of the UN Secretariat: The UN Secretariat has no mandate to investigate anything related to UN Security Council resolution 2231", said Polyansky, after closing UN Security Council consultations on the alleged shipment of Iranian drones to Russia.

"We hope that the Secretariat and the Secretary-General himself will no longer violate the decisions of the UN Security Council, will not go beyond their technical mandates, and will not engage in unauthorized investigations. Otherwise, we will have to reassess our collaboration with them, which is hardly in anyone's interest. We don't want to do it, but there will be no other choice", he stressed.

Furthermore, Polyansky said no evidence to support Western claims for the sale of Iranian drones to Russia was presented to the UN Security Council.

"The goal of our Western colleagues is clear: they are trying to achieve two targets at once, creating artificial pretexts to pressure Russia and Iran", he quipped.

"In Russia, they are trying to distract the international community from their de facto involvement in the conflict in Ukraine. You have all seen reports of new arms transfers from the West", he continued.

"In parallel, the West is in line with its usual shameful practice of trying to pressure Iran, making baseless accusations about its violation of UN Security Council resolution 2231. No evidence has ever been presented to the council", he said.

In addition, Polyansky described claims of sending Iranian drones to Russia as "nonsense" and "baseless accusations."