Iran says Russia and China providing Tehran with military support
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that Russia and China are providing Iran with various forms of assistance, including military support.
According to Politico, as reported by Ukrinform, Araghchi made the remarks on Saturday, March 14, in an interview with the MS NOW television channel.
During the interview, the Iranian foreign minister described Russia and China as Tehran’s strategic partners in its conflict with the United States and Israel.
“We have had close cooperation in the past, which still continues, and that includes military cooperation as well,” Araghchi said.
Iran has had "good cooperation with these countries: politically, economically, even militarily," he added.
In the interview, Araghchi also addressed the issue of restricting access to a key maritime route – the Strait of Hormuz. He said the strait is closed to tankers and vessels belonging to “our enemies, to those who are attacking us and their allies.”
However, he clarified: “The Strait is not closed. It is only closed to American, Israeli ships and tankers, and not to others.”
Iran and Russia have strengthened ties over the past decade. Iran supplies Russia with domestically developed Shahed drones, which Moscow uses in its war against Ukraine.
In 2021, Iran signed a 25-year economic cooperation agreement with Beijing focused on supplying China with Iran’s extensive oil resources.
As previously reported, Donald Trump suggested on Friday that Russian President Vladimir Putin may be “a little bit” helping Iran.
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