Ukraine responds to Iran: the only "third party" is Iranian drones
UKRAINSKA PRAVDA – SATURDAY, 24 SEPTEMBER 2022, 17:29
Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has responded to Iran’s statement concerning Iranian unmanned aerial weapons (UAVs) in service with the Russian army, in which Iran advised Ukraine to resist the influence of third parties.
Source: Oleh Nikolenko, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, speaking to Ukrainska Pravda
Quote: "The only ‘third party’ is the Iranian drones that Ukraine is shooting down in its sky. Tehran bears full responsibility for the breakdown of relations with Ukraine. Iran must immediately stop supplying Russia with weapons to kill Ukrainians with, instead of justifying its behaviour with fantasies about ‘external influence’."
Background:
- Ukraine has stripped the Iranian ambassador of his accreditation and significantly cut the number of diplomatic staff at the Iranian embassy in connection with Iran’s supply of UAVs to Russia.
- In response, Iran’s Foreign Ministry "advised" Ukraine to "resist the influence of third parties that want to ruin the relations between two countries".
- It was revealed in August that Russia had received "hundreds" of UAVs from Iran for use in its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, despite Washington urging Tehran not to supply them.
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy instructed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to respond to the fact that Russian forces are using Iranian-produced weapons.
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