TheUnited Nations Security Council Resolution 2231 enacted an arms embargo on Iran in 2015. The embargo on conventional Iranian arms ended in October 2020, but the restrictions on Iran regarding missiles and related technologies are in place until October 2023.[1]
On 20 January 2022,Ebrahim Raisi, the president of Iran gave a speech to the Russian Duma. In the speech, he condemnedNATO, accusing it of "infiltrating various geographical areas with new coverings that threaten the common interests of independent states." and emphasized therelations between Iran and Russia.[2]
Iranian weapons deliveries to Russia
On 24 February 2022, Russiainvaded Ukraine. By 12 April, Russia'sattempt to take Kyiv had failed. On that date,The Guardian reported thatIran was smuggling weapons fromIraq to Russia.[3] On 11 July, and again on 17 July, with Russian drone supplies running low, US officials said that Iran was planning to provide Russia with drones.[4][5] By 17 October, with Russia losing ground to Ukrainian counteroffensivesin the East andin the South, Russia had obtained Iranian suicide drones, which it used toattack civilian infrastructure.[6] By 18 October, Iranian military officials were inCrimea helping Russia to operate Iranian drones.[7]
Russian PresidentVladimir Putin meeting with Iranian Supreme LeaderAli Khamenei and Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi inTehran, 19 July 2022
On 16 October,The Washington Post reported that Iran was planning to supply Russia with both drones and missiles.[8] On 21 November, the Ukrainian defense ministry said that according to reports in the Israeli press,Israel might respond by transferring short-range and medium-range missiles to Ukraine.[9]
On 18 October the U.S. State Department accused Iran of violating United Nations Security Council Resolution 2231 by sellingShahed 131 andShahed 136 drones to Russia,[10][11] agreeing with similar assessments by France and the United Kingdom. Iran's ambassador to the UN responded by writing to the UNSC on 19 and 24 October stating that this was an erroneous interpretation of paragraph 4 of annex B of the resolution, which clearly states it applies to items that "could contribute to the development of nuclear weapon delivery systems", which these drones could not.[12][13] Iran denied sending arms for use in the Ukraine war.[14][15] On 22 October France, Britain and Germany formally called for an investigation by the UN team responsible for UNSCR 2231.[16]
On 1 November, CNN reported that Iran was preparing to send ballistic missiles and other weapons to Russia for use in Ukraine.[17]
On 21 November, CNN reported that an intelligence assessment had concluded that Iran planned to help Russia begin production of Iran-designed drones in Russia. The country making the intelligence assessment was not named.[18]
Iran has reportedly supplied Russia with short-range ballistic missiles, escalating their military support in the Ukraine war.[19]
Russia's Iranian drone attacks
Russia used IranianShahed 136 drones in an attack on Kyiv on 17 October 2022, during which 4 civilians were killed, including one woman who was six months pregnant.[20] Another Russian attack using Iranian drones took place on 28 May 2023. Ukraine said it shot down all but one of the drones, but one person was killed.[21] Another strike on 20 June used 35 Iranian-designedShahed drones, 32 of which were claimed to be shot down by Ukraine.[22] On 22 November 2024, Russia attacked a residential area inSumy, Ukraine, using Shahed drones.[23] Two civilians were killed in the attack and 12 were injured.[23] On May 17, 2025, Russia conducted multiple attacks across Ukraine involving Shahed drones, killing at least 13 civilians and injuring 32.[24]
Ukrainian response
On 3 November 2022, Ukraine warned Iran to expect an "absolutely ruthless" response if it were to continue supplying weapons to Russia.[25] On 24 November, Ukraine announced that Iranian military advisers had been killed inCrimea. It said that Iranians inoccupied territory would continue to be targeted.[26]
On 24 May 2023, President of UkraineVolodymyr Zelenskyy appealed to the people of Iran to oppose the Iran government, asking them not to be complicit with being on the same side "with such an evil as Russian aggression."[27]
Iranian troops in Russian-occupied Crimea
On 21 October 2022, a White House press release stated thatIranian troops were in Crimea assisting Russia in launchingdrone attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure.[28] On 24 November, Ukrainian officials said the military had killed ten Iranians and would target any further Iranian military presence in Ukraine.[29][30] The Institute for the Study of War assessed that these are likelyIslamic Revolutionary Guard Corps or IRGC-affiliated personnel, as this formation is the primary operator of Iranian drones.[31]
Impact on Iran–United States relations
Iran's support for Russia, combined with Iranian suppression of theMahsa Amini protests, and moves towards increased uranium enrichment, has led to a more confrontational relationship between theUnited States and Iran. As of 24 November 2022, the United States was not looking to revive any nuclear deal with Iran and had recently imposed additional sanctions on Iran.[32]
On 9 January 2023, US National Security AdviserJake Sullivan said that Iran's sale of drones to Russia might be "contributing to widespread war crimes" in Ukraine.[33] Sullivan said that the US would look into holding Iran's leadership to account.
^Subramaniam, Tara; Guy, Jack; Upright, Ed; Vogt, Adrienne; Sangal, Aditi; Chowdhury, Maureen (2 November 2022)."November 2, 2022 Russia-Ukraine news".CNN.Archived from the original on 25 May 2023. Retrieved29 November 2022.
^Hird, Karolina; Mappes, Grace; Bailey, Riley; Howard, Angela; Kagan, Frederick W. (25 November 2022)."Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, November 25".Institute for the Study of War.Archived from the original on 14 December 2023. Retrieved26 November 2022.
^Hird, Karolina; Bailey, Riley; Mappes, Grace; Barros, George; Kagan, Frederick W. (12 October 2022)."Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, October 12".Institute for the Study of War.Archived from the original on 14 January 2024. Retrieved26 November 2022.
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Media related toUnmanned aerial military vehicles of Iran at Wikimedia Commons
