Revealing the Route of Iranian Drone Transfers to Russia; John Kirby: The Islamic Republic Fuels the Fire of the Ukraine War

John Kirby, the Coordinator for Strategic Communications at the National Security Council of the White House, in a press update referring to the "brutal war of Russia" in Ukraine, detailed the hidden dimensions of the "increasing and full-scale" military cooperation between Russia and the Islamic Republic. This White House media official stated that despite deceptive claims of non-interference, the Islamic Republic continues to stoke the flames of the devastating war in Ukraine by sending "lethal weapons" to Russia. Kirby presented satellite images indicating that by May, Russia had received hundreds of suicide drones and related equipment from the Islamic Republic of Iran. He explained how hundreds of Iranian-made drones are smuggled from Amirabad port in the Caspian Sea to the port of Makhachkala in Russia, where Russian forces operationally deploy these drones in the war against Ukraine. The Alabuga Special Economic Zone, located near Yelabuga (Tatarstan), is one of the warehouses for transferring drones from Iran to Russia. He added that in recent weeks, Russia has repeatedly used Iranian drones to attack Kyiv and instill terror in the Ukrainian people, suggesting that military cooperation between Russia and the Islamic Republic is expanding further. Kirby also expressed concern over the increasing cooperation of the Islamic Republic, announcing plans for establishing a drone manufacturing plant in Russia, stating: "We have credible information indicating that Russia is receiving parts and equipment from the Islamic Republic to build a drone manufacturing plant within Russia." This senior White House official explained, based on satellite images, that this drone factory could be fully operational by early next year, with its planned location in the "Alabuga Special Economic Zone" in Russia. John Kirby described the expansion of "full-scale" relations between the Islamic Republic and Russia as "mutual," emphasizing that support flows from both sides, with Russia also offering unprecedented military cooperation to the Islamic Republic in areas such as "missile, electronic warfare, and air defense." Kirby added: "Earlier this year, Iran announced that it had finalized a contract to purchase Sukhoi-35 fighter jets from Russia. Iran is also seeking to acquire heavy military equipment, including attack helicopters, radar systems, and combat training aircraft like the YA-130." This senior White House official noted that the Islamic Republic is overall seeking to purchase "billions of dollars" in military equipment from Russia, and this level of "full-scale" military participation is undoubtedly considered "destructive" for Ukraine, Iran's neighbors, and the global community. Kirby stated: "We will continue to use all the tools at our disposal to expose and disrupt these activities, including sharing information with the public, and we are also prepared to do more in this regard." John Kirby emphasized that the transfer of drones to Russia occurred "without the approval of the United Nations Security Council," characterizing the actions of Russia and the Islamic Republic as a "blatant violation of their commitments" under UN Security Council Resolution 2231, and said: "We will continue to work with allies and the United Nations to hold Russia and the Islamic Republic accountable." He also added: "We will continue to impose sanctions on those involved in the transfer of military equipment from the Islamic Republic to Russia for use in Ukraine. Currently, we have imposed multiple sanctions targeting Russian, Iranian, and third-country individuals involved in this activity." John Kirby referenced last month's US sanctions against entities that are part of a "logistical network" expanding relations between Russia and the Islamic Republic, stating that the aim of these sanctions is to "limit military transfers" between Russia and the Islamic Republic. This senior White House official stated: "In addition, along with the European Union and the UK, we have imposed new restrictions to prevent the entry of electronic components found in Iranian drones into the battlefield in Ukraine." He also added: "Since February of this year, we have established multiple regulations targeting the supply of drones and drone parts from Iran to Russia using the Foreign Direct Product Rule and other export control tools." Kirby mentioned that the UK recently published regulations regarding high-priority items, such as electronic circuits and radio frequency transmitter modules found in Iranian drones, and "we continue to work with allies and partners to coordinate such 'export control' actions." John Kirby also announced that the US government will publish a new advisory on Friday, June 9, to help businesses and other governments better understand the risks posed by the Islamic Republic's drone program and the illegal methods the Islamic Republic uses to procure its parts. This advisory will help governments and businesses take measures to ensure they do not inadvertently fall into the trap of the Islamic Republic's drone program. The Coordinator for Strategic Communications at the National Security Council of the White House concluded by saying: "We are working with our allies and partners to ensure that what is needed for the defense and reconstruction of Ukraine, including air defense systems, is provided to help and protect the people of Ukraine." The missile and drone activities of the Islamic Republic have been among the most serious concerns of Western countries regarding Tehran in recent years, leading to several packages of sanctions against the Islamic Republic by these countries. Recently, with ongoing concerns about Iran's armament programs, several American lawmakers introduced a bipartisan bill to sanction a wide range of the Islamic Republic's missile and drone activities. The United States has so far imposed multiple sanctions on those involved in and supporting the Islamic Republic's armament program, especially its ballistic missile program.