PRESS RELEASE : Iran and Russia’s ‘sordid deals’ threaten global security – Foreign Secretary statement [December 2022]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 9 December 2022.

The Foreign Secretary has claimed ‘sordid deals’ between Russia and Iran are threatening global security, following the release of information by the US today showing Iran has become one of Russia’s top military backers.

The US have today released information laying bare the extent of Iran’s military support to Russia’s illegal war in Ukraine, including the provision of hundreds of drones used to kill Ukrainian civilians.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said:

Iran is now one of Russia’s top military backers. Their sordid deals have seen the Iranian regime send hundreds of drones to Moscow, which have been used to attack Ukraine’s critical infrastructure and kill civilians.

In return, Russia is offering military and technical support to the Iranian regime, which will increase the risk it poses to our partners in the Middle East and to international security. The UK will continue to expose this desperate alliance and hold both countries to account.

The UK agrees with the US assessment that Iranian support for the Russian military will grow in the coming months as Russia attempts to obtain more weapons, including hundreds of ballistic missiles.

The UK is concerned that Russia intends to provide Iran with more advanced military components, allowing the regime to strengthen their weapons capability, further increasing the risk to both regional and international security.

On the 19 October the UK, together with the US and France, raised this issue with the UN Security Council and supports Ukraine’s request for a UN investigation into the Iranian transfers, which are in violation of Security Council resolution 2231.  We will continue to hold both countries to account for this deplorable activity.