President of Iran denies delivering drones and other weaponry to Russia

Despite the US accusing Iran of delivering drones to Russia for use in the Ukraine war, Iran's president denied sending them and assisting Russia develop a plant to make them on Monday.

President Ebrahim Raisi told media executives on the margins of the U.N. General Assembly's high-level leaders' meeting, “We are against the war in Ukraine.”

The Iranian leader spoke hours after five Americans released by President Joe Biden to unlock roughly $6 billion in frozen Iranian assets arrived in Qatar.

Although a hard-liner, Raisi seemed diplomatic. He often offered to negotiate the Russia-Ukraine war while being a Kremlin ally. He said the prisoner exchange and asset release arrangement with the US might “help build trust” between the longstanding enemies.

Raisi highlighted years of solid connections between Iran and Russia, including defense collaboration. However, he denied arming Moscow since the war. “If they have a document that Iran gave weapons or drones to the Russians after the war,” he continued, produce it.

The large number of Iranian drones employed in the Ukraine war suggests that the transfer of such weaponry has continued and intensified since hostilities began, according to U.S. and European authorities.