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The White House has raised concerns over reports indicating that Iran may have (or is in the process of) providing ballistic missiles to Russia for their war in Ukraine.

Let’s bring you up to speed: Recent reports from The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, and Reuters suggest that Iran has either already transferred or is close to transferring ballistic missiles to Russia for use in the war against Ukraine. According to unnamed US and European officials cited by The Wall Street Journal, this marks the first known instance of military support of this kind between the two countries.

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What the US is saying: In a statement, National Security Council spokesman Sean Savett said the reports were “alarming.” He added, “Any transfer of Iranian ballistic missiles to Russia would represent a dramatic escalation in Iran’s support for Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.”

What kind of missiles were transferred and how?: The missiles Iran is believed to have (or will be) providing to Russia include the Fath-360 and Ababil, both short-range ballistic missiles with a range under 300 kilometers. This would allow Russia to save its longer-range missiles for deeper strikes into Ukraine. While mixed reporting has indicated that Russia may already have the missiles, some European outlets citing EU intelligence officials say they are preparing for the transfer by either sea or air.

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Iran denies transfer: Iran’s UN Mission in New York downplayed the reports, saying they “consider the provision of military assistance to the parties engaged in the conflict … to be inhumane.” The mission added, “Not only does Iran abstain from engaging in such actions itself, but it also calls upon other countries to cease the supply of weapons to the sides involved in the conflict.”

Reality: Although Iran publicly denies supplying military aid to Russia in the Ukraine war, it has already provided substantial weaponry, especially drones. Russian forces have used Iranian-made drones like the Shahed-136 extensively in large-scale attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure and civilian areas. These drones are relatively inexpensive but effective.

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