UK foreign secretary targets ‘desperate alliance’ between Iran and Russia 

A growing and “desperate alliance” between Russia and Iran threatens global security, Britain’s foreign secretary has said, as the government imposed a series of sanctions on figures from the two countries.

“Iran and Russia’s sordid deals threaten global security,” explained James Cleverly on Twitter. “We are holding their desperate alliance to account.” He added that, subsequently, the British government “has just sanctioned high-level Russian and Iranian figures in response to the abhorrent strikes against civilian targets” in Ukraine.

Iran and Russia's sordid deals threaten global security.

We are holding their desperate alliance to account.

The UK has just sanctioned high-level Russian and Iranian figures in response to the abhorrent strikes against civilian targets.

— James Cleverly🇬🇧 (@JamesCleverly) December 13, 2022

As a result of that alliance, the UK today announced a new package of 16 sanctions targeting senior Russian commanders and several Iranian businessmen and officials who have been involved in the production or supply of drones for the Russian military.

A few months into Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine in February this year, Iran’s role in assisting Russian forces through unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) supplies came to light when the US claimed that Tehran was planning to supply Moscow and its forces with the hardware. The Ukrainian government also later accused Russia of using around 400 Iranian drones to strike Ukraine’s civilian infrastructure.

Iran initially denied the reports while at the same time subtly acknowledging its role, before fully admitting that it supplied Russia with drones, “months” before the invasion was launched. It has also been revealed recently that Russia flew in Western weapons and $141 million in cash to Iran in return for Iranian UAVs back in August.

Since those revelations, the alliance between Moscow and Tehran has only grown bolder, with more arms transfers expected to be made in the weeks and months ahead.

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