Top commander rejects allegations of Iran role in Ukraine war as “sheer lies”

Speaking to reporters on Saturday, Abolfazl Shekarchi, spokesman of the Iranian Armed Forces, said the ruling regime in Ukraine is totally subservient to the Zionists and the Americans.

"These remarks and accusations attributed to Iran by the presidents of the United States and Ukraine are sheer lies and slander," he added.

He emphasized that Iran has had military equipment exchanges with Russia which date back to years before the war between Moscow and Kiev, stressing that "Iran is not involved in the war between these two states."

The senior commander emphasized that the US provides Ukraine's army with various types of weapons and military equipment, but accuses Iran of involvement in the war.

Iran has multiple times rejected in the strongest terms the Western claims of the Islamic Republic's delivery of weapons and drones to Russia to be used against Ukraine, saying the country has had defense cooperation with Moscow for long and pursues a resolution of the conflict through dialog and diplomacy.

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian on Saturday dismissed media controversy over Iran’s alleged support for Russia in the Ukraine war, assuring that Iran will not be indifferent if it is proven that Russia has used Iranian drones in the conflict.

“Our relations with Russia are based on neighborhood and mutual interests. I would like to emphasize here that the fuss made by some Western countries that Iran has provided Russia with missiles and drones to help it in the Ukraine war -- claims about the missile part is completely wrong," he said.

The drone part is correct, he said, but added that Iran had provided Russia with a limited number of drones months before the war in Ukraine.