Moscow Accuses West of “Pressure” on Iran over Drones in Ukraine

Russia’s foreign ministry said Thursday, Oct 20, the West is seeking to put “pressure” on Tehran with accusations that Moscow is using Iran-made drones in Ukraine, claims that Russia and Iran deny.

“Everything that is now being done on the Iranian track is subordinated to one goal — pressure on this country. And Washington is mobilising NATO and EU countries for this in support of its position,” ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said at a press briefing.

The European Union on Thursday, Oct.20, announced sanctions against three Iranian generals and an arms firm accused of supplying Iranian drones to Russia that Kyiv says have been used for strikes on Ukraine.

Ukraine’s Foreign Minster Dmytro Kuleba welcomed the “prompt action” from Brussels.

The Kremlin says it has no knowledge of its army using Iranian drones in Ukraine and Tehran has said the claims that it is providing Russia with weapons are “baseless”.

Zakharova on Thursday dismissed the drone accusations as “rumours”.

“This is all nothing more than a set of unsubstantiated conclusions and far-fetched assumptions that Britain and France are trying to build into a structure and every time it collapses in front of everyone,” she added.