Sergei Ryabkov
© AFPFILE PHOTO: Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov
Russia has emphasized that the bond between Moscow and Tehran will withstand foreign pressure and the Russia-Iran military ties will go ahead regardless of US-led attempts to undermine the relation.

"We are independent states and do not succumb to the dictates of the United States and its satellites," Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said on Friday.

He further emphasized that there have been no changes in the two sides' collaboration within the military sector. "There are no changes, and cooperation with Iran will continue."

Ryabkov's statement follows reports earlier this month, in which Washington had requested the Islamic Republic to stop providing Russia with military drones.


Comment: It seems unbelievable that Washington would have the gall to ask Iran to do anything, and yet it's highly likely they did.


However, Iran has criticized attempts to link its military cooperation with Russia to the Ukraine war. Tehran, also, has repeatedly denied supplying Moscow with drones.

The US and some of Washington's allies had previously accused Moscow of using Iranian-made drones in its war with Ukraine.


Comment: Even if Russia has used some Iranian drones in its fight against Ukraine's Nazi aligned military, so what? Most nations in the West have been been supplying Ukraine with all the weapons they can spare, including depleted uranium and cluster bombs, and the Kiev junta is actively targeting civilians, Moscow is not.


Last month, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kan'ani said in a statement that any attempt to link the war in Ukraine with cooperation between Iran and Russia is a move solely serving political objectives.

In the meantime, Iranian diplomatic officials have urged the warring sides in the Russia-Ukraine conflict to seek peace, replace the fighting with diplomatic channels, and try to find a peaceful solution to the crisis by means of resuming dialog between the neighboring countries.