Iran receives US and NATO weapons left behind on the battlefield in Ukraine. The weapons may be replicated in Tehran.
Frankfurt/Tehran – Russia is said to have delivered weapons that they captured in the Ukraine war to Iran. How CNN reported, these are weapons that were made available to Ukraine by the USA and NATO for defense against Russia. The United States assumes that the delivery to Iran could be used to replicate the weapons there.
Since the beginning of the war of aggression, it has been observed several times how Russian armed forces confiscated abandoned weapon systems – including Javelin anti-tank systems and Stinger anti-aircraft systems – after battles CNN. Russia then often sent the weapons to Iran in order to disassemble and analyze them there and to produce their own versions of the weapon systems.
Russia and Iran: Tehran has already succeeded in replicating US weapons
It is unclear whether they have been successful in doing so. In the past, however, Tehran has proved extremely adept at developing weapons modeled on US equipment. Citing Iran’s Toophan anti-tank guided missile, which was replicated in the 1970s from an American BGM-71 TOW missile, Jonathan Lord, director of the Middle East security program at the Center for a New American Security think tank, points out: “Iran has historically proved that he is capable of replicating US weapons.” It is quite possible that the same will be possible with the weapons supplied by Russia from Ukraine.
The arms deliveries also illustrate the growing military partnership between Moscow and Tehran. Iran has already provided hundreds of drones, artillery and tank shells to Russia due to huge casualties during its war. In exchange, Tehran requested billions of dollars worth of military equipment from Russia, including fighter jets, radar systems and helicopters, according to the White House.
Weapons sent from Russia to Iran: Pentagon has expanded surveillance
This cooperation affects not only the situation in Ukraine. Hamas or Hezbollah could use replica weapons against Israel’s forces, Lord said. “Iran is gaining important battlefield knowledge and experience in Ukraine that it can eventually apply in the Middle East,” US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said. “Russia’s military partnership with Iran poses a serious challenge to this region and the security of its citizens,” Austin said.
Late last year, the Department of Defense stepped up efforts to monitor US arms shipped to Ukraine. For example, US military personnel stationed in Kiev are to carry out on-site inspections to determine whether they are being sold on the black market or whether they are being captured by the Russians. So far, the Pentagon has assumed that the diversions through Russia are isolated cases. (tt)