French President Emmanuel Macron on Saturday urged his Iranian counterpart Ebrahim Raisi to stop backing Russia’s efforts in the invasion of Ukraine.
Macron asked Raisi to “immediately end” Tehran’s support to Russia in the war against Ukraine, including the supply of drones, said the Elysee.
In a telephonic conversation, the French President highlighted the serious “security and humanitarian consequences” of Iran’s drone deliveries “and urged Tehran to immediately end the support it thus gives to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine”, said a statement.
The call by the French President came a day after White House national security spokesman John Kirby said that Iran was sending materials to Russia to build a drone factory on its territory.
Drone factory “could be fully operational early next year”: Kirby
John Kirby said that Russia was importing materials from Iran to build the factory which “could be fully operational early next year”.
The White House released a satellite image of the location of the forthcoming plant in the Alabuga Special Economic Zone, which was based some 900 kilometres (560 miles) east of Moscow.
“The Russia-Iran military partnership appears to be deepening,” Kirby said in a statement, citing US intelligence information.
The White House said it would release a new government advisory to assist businesses and governments “to ensure they are not inadvertently contributing to Iran’s (drone) programme”.
According to Washington, Russia has received hundreds of attack drones and related equipment from Iran to aid Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.
As per US data, Kirby said, the drones “are built in Iran, shipped across the Caspian Sea and then used operationally by Russian forces against Ukraine.”
“Russia has been using Iranian UAVs in recent weeks to strike Kyiv and terrorise the Ukrainian population,” he added, referring to unmanned aerial vehicles, or drones.
Washington issued the alert on what it feels are Moscow’s efforts to create Iranian drones itself.
“We have information that Russia is receiving materials from Iran needed to build a UAV manufacturing plant inside Russia,” Kirby said.
According to the White House, in turn, Iran is seeking to purchase Su-35 fighter jets, attack helicopters, radars, and YAK-130 combat trainer aircraft from Russia.
“We will continue to impose sanctions on the actors involved in the transfer of Iranian military equipment to Russia for use in Ukraine,” AFP quoted Kirby as saying.
Iran has repeatedly denied the allegations made by the United States of sending military supplies to Russia during its war against Ukraine.
(With inputs from agencies)
