US warns Iran of 'dramatic consequences' of sending missiles to Russia

The European Union said its allies had shared credible intelligence that Iran had supplied Russia with ballistic missiles, a move Washington warned would be met with significant consequences, News.Az reports citing JIJI Press .

The claim was rejected by Tehran but not explicitly denied by the Kremlin. EU and US officials said that, if true, it would constitute a major escalation of Iran's support for Moscow in its invasion of Ukraine.

US media outlets reported last week that Washington believed Iran had transferred the weapons to Russia for use in Ukraine, citing anonymous sources.

We are aware of the credible information provided by allies on the delivery of Iranian ballistic missiles to Russia, EU spokesman Peter Stano said.

We are looking further into it with our member states and if confirmed, this delivery would represent a substantive material escalation in Iran's support for Russia's illegal war of aggression against Ukraine.

Stano added that the EU leaders' unanimous position has always been clear. The European Union will respond swiftly and in coordination with international partners, including with new and significant restrictive measures against Iran.

Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani said during a weekly press conference: We strongly reject the claims on Iran's role in exporting arms to one side of the war.

The West has been warning Tehran against sending Russia missiles for months, and the EU has already repeatedly hit Iran with sanctions for supplying drones to Moscow for the war in Ukraine.

Any transfer of Iranian ballistic missiles to Russia would represent a dramatic escalation in Iran's support for Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, State Department spokesman Vedant Patel told journalists.

We have been clear... that we're prepared to deliver significant consequences.

News.Az