Iran strongly rejects drone deliveries to Russia for use in Ukraine: FM

Amirabdollahian and the European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell in a telephone conversation on Thursday discussed the latest developments in the Ukraine conflict and the lifting of sanctions talks.

Referring to the baseless claims about the use of Iranian drones in the Ukraine conflict, Amirabdollahian said that Iran and Russia are engaged in defense cooperation, but Iran’s policy towards the Ukraine conflict is to respect the territorial integrity of the country and not to send weapons to the parties involved, stressing Iran’s policy as stopping the war and ending the displacement of the people.

The Islamic Republic of Iran is trying to stop the conflict in Ukraine through diplomacy and Iran recommends Europeans to look at this issue with a realistic approach, he said.

Amirabdollahian said that the Islamic Republic of Iran opposes the war and strongly rejects the delivery of drones to Russia for use in the Ukraine conflict.

The Islamic Republic of Iran enjoys strong popular support and a functioning democracy, but some European officials, by misinterpreting and under the excuse of defending human rights, supported the chaos, terror, and turmoil in Iran, which was unwise, counterproductive, interventionist, and with specific political objectives.

Naming logic, rationality, and diplomacy as the path of the foreign policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran, he underlined that Iran’s foreign policy is not based on double standards.

Borrell, for his part, expressed hope for continuing cooperation between Iran and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on safeguards issues.

He praised Iran's stance on not sending weapons and drones for use in the Ukraine conflict.

The two sides considered the negotiating path to lifting sanctions and the agreement as positive and forward-looking.