Iran barters missiles for food: A controversial alliance with Russia
An Iranian deputy admitted that his country provided Russia with short-range ballistic missiles. "We need to barter to get what we need, including soybeans and wheat," he defended.
A member of the Iranian parliament's national security committee, Ahmad Bakhshayesh Ardestani, admitted that Russia received Iranian ballistic missiles.
"We need to barter to get what we need, including soybeans and wheat. Part of the exchange involves sending missiles, and another part involves providing military drones to Russia," Ardestani said in an interview with the Iranian newspaper Didban Iran.
"It can't get any worse"
The parliamentarian was asked whether aiding Russia in its war in Ukraine could lead to further sanctions on Iran.
"It can't get any worse than it is. We provide missiles to Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Popular Mobilization Forces (a Shia militia operating in Iraq - ed.), so why not to Russia?" he asked.
"We sell weapons and get dollars. We bypass sanctions through our partnership with Russia. We import soybeans, corn, and other goods from Russia. Europeans are selling weapons to Ukraine. NATO entered Ukraine, so why shouldn't we support our ally by sending missiles and drones to Russia?" Ardestani asked.
Ukrainian foreign ministry concerned
The Wall Street Journal, citing sources among American and European officials, reported that Iran provided Russia with short-range ballistic missiles. According to Reuters, these are Fath-360 systems.
The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry expressed concern about these reports and called on the international community to pressure Tehran.
"Iran must completely stop supplying weapons to Russia to prove the sincerity of its political leaders' statements about their lack of involvement in fuelling the Russian war machine," the statement said.
