Iran is effectively participating in Russia’s war against Ukraine - Zelenskyy's video interview
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President Zelenskyy noted that Ukraine "must act carefully" to "avoid opening a new front (Photo: t.me/V_Zelenskiy_official)
Iran has de facto participated in the war against Ukraine by supplying Russia with Shahed drones, manufacturing technologies, and other weaponry, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in an interview with Sky News published on July 27.
He underscored the direct military involvement of foreign regimes in the Ukraine war as Kyiv confronts an expanding axis of authoritarian support backing Moscow's invasion.
"Consider this: if Iran provided Russia with a new base and new technologies starting in the first year of the war — these were Shahed drones," Zelenskyy said in response to a question regarding a potential Iranian attack on Ukraine and threats posed by the ayatollah regime.
"They [the Iranians] supplied thousands of these drones in the first year of the war and later granted manufacturing licenses. What did they do? Did they attack us? I believe they did."
He furthermore noted that Ukraine "must act carefully" to "avoid opening a new front." However, according to the Ukrainian head of state, the support provided to the aggressor state by Iran and North Korea must also be taken into account.
"The war is effectively already underway; they are attacking you. We must be cautious, and we must do everything possible to avoid opening a new front under any circumstances, but we must be honest: the Iranians and North Koreans have already attacked us," Zelenskyy declared.
The head of state emphasized that Ukraine must be prepared for the potential escalation of these threats.
According to him, Iran and North Korea provided the Kremlin with direct military assistance, including drones, missiles, and artillery ammunition.
"At the very beginning, without any warnings or escalation on our part, the Iranians provided weapons, and the North Koreans provided weapons — drones, missiles, and 155 mm artillery shells," he concluded.
On July 25, Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) reported that Ukrainian drones struck a Russian Project 12418 Molniya missile boat. Drones also targeted the cargo vessel Port Olya 2 and the bulk carrier Begey, both of which are under international sanctions and were utilized to transport military cargo between Iran and Russia.
That same day, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Iran condemned the Ukrainian strike on a vessel in the Caspian Sea, stating that Tehran reserves the right to defend its "national interests and security."
Meanwhile, pro-Iranian Telegram channel Middle East Spectator published a map claiming that the entirety of Ukrainian territory falls "within the range of Iranian ballistic missiles, including the Khorramshahr-4." This post does not represent an official statement from Iranian authorities.
On July 26, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi issued a threat directed at President Volodymyr Zelenskyy following the Ukrainian strike on the vessel in the Caspian Sea.
Writing on X, Araghchi claimed that the strike constituted a "flagrant violation of the UN Charter," alleging that the order was given by Israel "to drag Europe into its war."
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