Iranian Revolutionary Guard/Sepahnews via AP
Kirby said this development could see Russia use its arsenal of ballistic missiles to strike farther beyond the front lines while using the new Iranian ones for closer-range targets. It is unclear exactly how many missiles Moscow received from Tehran.
“This is obviously deeply concerning, and it certainly speaks to the manner in which this partnership threatens European security and how it illustrates Iran’s destabilizing influence now reaches well beyond the Middle East,” Kirby says.
Russia, meanwhile, is sharing nuclear technology and space-related information with Iran, Kirby said. Tehran has long sought to advance its nuclear weapons program, which has been a major point of contention with the West over the past decade.
The US and its European allies have revealed their intentions to impose various sanctions on Iran in response to the now-confirmed missile transfers, including on Iran Air, Tehran’s flagship carrier.
France, Germany, and the UK said they will target individuals and entities involved in Iran’s ballistic missile program.
“Iran’s new president and foreign minister have repeatedly said that they want to restore engagement with Europe, they want to receive sanctions relief,” US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said at a press conference alongside his UK counterpart in London. “Destabilizing actions like these will achieve exactly the opposite.”
Photo by Stringer/Anadolu via Getty Images
Blinken noted that the Iranian missiles will give Russia additional capabilities and flexibility, fueling its overall war efforts in Ukraine.
Conflict analysts at the Institute for the Study of War suggested last week that Russia will likely use the Iranian ballistic missiles to target Ukrainian energy, military, and civilian infrastructure over the next few months “to further destabilize Ukrainian society and disrupt Ukraine’s defense industrial base.”
The US has been warning of increasing military ties between Russia and Iran for years. One of the most heavily documented examples of this growing cooperation is Moscow’s widespread employment of Iranian Shahed-136 one-way attack drones in strikes on Ukrainian cities and critical infrastructure.
Russia has reportedly agreed to supply Iran with fighter jets and attack helicopters, although it is unclear whether that has or will materialize.
Russia has also turned to North Korea for military support as it continues to face isolation on the world stage. Pyongyang has sent Moscow ballistic missiles, as well as artillery.