Iran claims 'active participation of Ukraine in war' and files complaint with UN Secretary-General
Photo: the flag of Iran (Getty Images)
Iran’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Amir Saeid Iravani, accused Ukraine of active participation in military aggression against the Islamic Republic, NBC informs.
What Iran said
In his letter, Iravani stressed that sending Ukrainian specialists to the region "constitutes active participation in military aggression against Iran." According to him, by doing so, Ukraine "incurs international responsibility under international law for aiding or assisting in the commission of an internationally wrongful act."
The Iranian diplomat noted that this involves "providing operational and technical assistance that directly contributes to the use of force and acts of aggression against the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Islamic Republic of Iran."
He also added that the deliberate targeting of civilian industrial infrastructure for the purpose of economic pressure or collective punishment may constitute serious violations of international humanitarian law, including war crimes.
Context of the accusations
Tehran’s statement came after reports that Ukrainian counter-drone experts are helping allies of the United States who are suffering from Iranian drone attacks in the region.
Iranian authorities view this as direct involvement in the conflict on the side of their adversaries.
Ukraine’s response
Spokesperson for Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Heorhii Tykhyi, posted a response to Tehran’s accusations on Twitter (X).
"How to know whether an Iranian regime representative is lying? If his lips move, he is," he wrote.
Tykhyi reminded that since 2022, Iran has supplied Russia with nearly 60,000 drones, which Russia uses to attack Ukraine. At the same time, no Ukrainian drone has ever struck Iranian territory.
"This liar should’ve been long gone together with his regime," the MFA spokesperson added.
In recent weeks, Ukraine has stepped up negotiations with countries of the Persian Gulf regarding the export of interceptor drones and the provision of technical assistance.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has held a series of meetings with the leaders of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, and Ukrainian counter-drone specialists have already arrived in the region.
Previously, Tehran has already issued threats against Ukraine over its cooperation with regional countries. Iranian officials have called Ukraine a "legitimate target" due to the alleged provision of drone assistance to Israel.
Iranian propaganda has also spread false claims about a purported strike on a warehouse storing Ukrainian counter-drone systems in Dubai — information that has been denied by Ukraine.
