Iranian lawmaker Ahmad Bakhshayesh Ardestani confirmed that Iran was supplying weapons to Russia, while less than 24 hours earlier Iran's mission to the UN rejected accusations of transferring short-range ballistic missiles to Russia, reports UNIAN, quoted by Focus.
In an interview with Didban Iran, Ardestani stated that Iran “does not directly intervene in the war” but sells weapons to Russia to meet its needs.
„We are forced to trade goods to meet our needs, including importing soybeans and wheat. Part of the barter involves sending missiles and another part involves sending military drones to Russia,” Ardestani said.
When asked if sending ballistic missiles to Russia could lead to additional sanctions against Iran, the lawmaker said it “couldn't be worse than it is”.
„We give missiles to Hezbollah, Hamas and Hashd al-Shaabi, so why not give them to Russia?“
He added that as NATO helps Ukraine, Iran will also “support its ally”.
„We sell guns and get dollars. We circumvent sanctions by partnering with Russia. We import soybeans, corn and other goods from Russia. Europeans sell weapons to Ukraine. NATO has entered Ukraine, so why don't we support our ally by sending missiles and drones to Russia?“ - noted Ardestani.