Russia, Iran defiant amid UN pressure over Ukraine drones | Russia-Ukraine war News
Russia has warned the United Nations against investigating its use of drones in Ukraine, amid allegations the weapon came from Iran and was used in violation of UN arms restrictions. for this Middle Eastern country.
The United States, France and the United Kingdom called a closed meeting of the Security Council on drones after a attack Kyiv on Monday killed at least five people and caused widespread damage to power stations and other civilian infrastructure.
Ukraine says its military has shot down more than 220 Iranian drones, officially known as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), in over a month and has invited United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres went to Ukraine to examine some of the debris they had collected.
Speaking after a Security Council meeting on Wednesday, Russia’s Deputy UN Ambassador Dmitry Polyanskiy insisted the weapons were made in Russia and condemned “baseless accusations and conspiracy theories”.
He urged Guterres and his staff to “avoid participating in any illegal investigation. Otherwise, we will have to re-evaluate our cooperation with them, which is hardly beneficial to anyone,” he told reporters.
The US and the European Union say they have evidence that Iran has supplied Russia Shahed-136s, low cost drone explodes on landing. Washington says any arms transfers are contrary to UN Security Council Resolution 2231, which is part of the UN Security Council. Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action 2015 (JCPOA)a huge deal that now limits Iran’s nuclear activities and prevents it from developing nuclear weapons.
Tehran denies supplying Russia with drones and earlier this week said it was ready for “dialogue and negotiations with Ukraine to remove these accusations“After Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said Ukraine should break diplomatic relations with Tehran.
On Wednesday, Iran’s UN special envoy, Amir Saeid Iravani, dismissed “baseless and unfounded claims” about the drone deliveries and said that Tehran, the country had abstained from the war, wanting a “peaceful solution” to the conflict, which began when Russia sent troops into Ukraine on February 24.
Iravani said Ukraine’s invitation “lacks any legal foundation” and urged Guterres to “stop any abuse” of the resolution and UN officials on issues related to the Ukraine war.
He added: “Iran has a firm belief that none of its weapons exports, including UAVs, to any country” violates resolution 2231.
EU prepares sanctions
Under the 2015 resolution, a conventional arms embargo against Iran is in place until October 2020.
But Ukraine and its Western allies argue that the resolution still includes restrictions on missiles and related technologies until October 2023, and could include the export and purchase of military systems. advancements such as drones.
French UN Ambassador Nicolas de Riviere said Guterres has a “clear mandate twice a year to report on all this and make technical assessments, so I think the UN secretariat will have to go and will go”.
Guterres reports twice a year to the Security Council – traditionally in June and December – on the implementation of the 2015 resolution. Any assessment of drones in Ukraine is likely to be included in that report.
“On the matter of policy, we are always ready to examine any information and analyze any information provided to us by Member States,” said United Nations Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric. on Wednesday.
Today, I raised in the Security Council the UK’s grave concern about Iranian drones being used by Russia to target civilians in Ukraine.
The Iranians have denied this, but they have not scrutinized it.
Council members have asked the UN to investigate. 1/2
– Ambassador James Kariuki (@JamesKariuki_UN) October 19, 2022
The EU is expected to pass sanctions on drones ahead of a summit that begins on Thursday in Brussels.
A list reported by AFP news agency shows a group of 27 nations that will take action against three senior military officials, including General Mohammad Hossein Bagheri, chief of staff of Iran’s armed forces, as well as the producer. unmanned aircraft manufacturer Shahed Aviation Industries, an aerospace company. affiliated with the country’s Revolutionary Guards.
Nabila Massrali, EU foreign policy spokesman Josep Borrell, said the bloc had “gathered our own evidence” and would prepare “a clear, quick and firm EU response”. .
