Both Washington and London expressed their concern about what they called the growing defense partnership between Moscow and Tehran, and confirmed that Iran now represents Russia's largest military supporter, and that it provides it with drones and missiles, in return for unprecedented Russian military and technical support for Tehran, as they described it.
Iran has denied providing Russia with drones and confirmed that its accusation of that is untrue, unfounded and without evidence to confirm it.
What if countries cooperate?
In analyzing this cooperation between the two countries, former US Defense Department advisor Matthew Kroenig saw in statements to the "Beyond the News" program on 12/10/2022 that Iran is making a mistake by supporting Russia in its war on Ukraine, and that America will not cooperate after that and its isolation will increase. After human rights violations inside Iran and the authorities killing members of the people, he said.
Major General Fayez Al-Duwairi, a military and strategic expert, said that reports indicate continued Iranian support for Russia in its war against Ukraine, and that it will reflect positively on Kiev, which will in turn receive more Western and American support.
For his part, the head of the Syndicate of Research and Studies Centers in Iran, Imad Abshnas, said that the Iranian-Russian cooperation is moving towards progress, because the basis of international relations is common interests, which is what is required by the need to stop NATO's attempt to expand in other regions, explaining that the threats against Iran and the imposition of Economic sanctions against it may make it change its position on cooperation with the West.
Confirming the statements of his country's representative in the Security Council, and agreeing with what his country's military intelligence revealed, British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said that what he called dirty deals between Iran and Russia threaten global security.
Cleverly added that Iran is now one of Russia's largest military supporters, and confirmed that it has sent hundreds of drones to it, while Russia in return provides military and technical support to the Iranian regime, which increases its threat to Britain's partners in the region, and poses a threat to international security, he said, stressing London agrees with Washington's assessment that Iranian support for the Russian army will increase in the coming months.
The danger of Iran
The British Foreign Secretary's remarks came a day after a warning by the Strategic Communications Coordinator of the US National Security Council, John Kirby, of the danger of what he called Iranian support for Russia in its war on Ukraine.
Kirby said that the relationship between Moscow and Tehran is turning towards a full defense partnership, which includes the exchange of weapons and military expertise between the two parties, while Washington is considering the option of bringing together several countries to discuss Russian-Iranian military cooperation, and that it will use all tools to obstruct this partnership.
Kirby made it clear that Iran is Russia's largest military supporter, and that since last August it has transferred hundreds of drones to Moscow, as reports indicate that Moscow and Tehran are considering establishing a joint production line for lethal drones.
According to the Washington Post, Washington's assessment of Russian-Iranian cooperation is based on intelligence reports, and previous US reports, on the sale of hundreds of Iranian drones that Russia is currently using to attack Ukrainian energy infrastructure.