Responding To Reports On Missile Supply From Tehran, Kremlin: Iran's Partners Are Important

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. (Wikimedia Commons/Kremlin.ru)

A Kremlin spokesman said on Monday Iran was a Russian partner when asked about a Wall Street Journal report that said Tehran was sending short-range ballistic missiles to Russia.

The Journal, citing unnamed US and European officials, said Iran had sent short-range ballistic missiles to Russia.

In response, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said he had seen the report, saying not all of the reports were true.

"Iran is our important partner," Peskov told reporters.

"We are developing our trade and economic relations, we are developing our cooperation and dialogue in all areas that allow, including the most sensitive," Peskov continued.

Tehran and Moscow's relations have drawn closer since Russia ordered tens of thousands of troops to Ukraine in February 2022, with Iran supplying Shahed drones to the Russian military.

As previously reported, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Mikiti emphasized that his country has never been a part of the Russian-Ukraine war, on the other hand, has always supported political solutions to end the war there.

He told IRNA on Sunday when asked about the alleged transfer of Iran's short-range ballistic missile to Russia for use in Ukraine's war.

"As has been emphasized repeatedly, the Islamic Republic of Iran, despite its opposition to war, supports political solutions to resolve differences between Russia and Ukraine to end the conflict," the spokesman said.

"Iran has never been a part of the conflict and its continuation," he said.

He further said the main approach and what the Iranian government stated regarding the Ukraine crisis remained unchanged.

Therefore, continued Badminton, allegations of Iran's ballistic missile transfer to Russia were "baseless" and repeated by certain Western countries seeking political purposes.

Reports that Iran transferred missiles to Russia are a "psychological war," said senior commander of the Fazlollah Revolutionary Guards Nozari on Monday according to state media.

The United States on Friday said any transfer of Iranian ballistic missiles to Russia would mark a sharp escalation in Ukraine's war.