Washington has warned Tehran of “swift and severe” consequences if reports that it is planning to send hundreds of ballistic missiles to Russia are confirmed.
We are prepared to deliver a swift and severe response if Iran were to move forward with the transfer of ballistic missiles, which would, in our view, represent a dramatic escalation in Iran's support for Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine," State Department spokesman Vedant Patel told reporters on August 12.
The warning matches one issued by the United States earlier this year after Reuters -- citing six unidentified sources -- reported that Iran had shipped a “large number” of powerful surface-to-surface ballistic weapons to Russia.
The United States and the European Union have imposed sanctions on Iran's ballistic missile program over concerns Tehran could send such weapons to its Middle East allies and proxies and to Russia for use in Ukraine.
Russia has suffered from weapons shortages as its full-scale invasion of Ukraine – launched in February 2022 – has dragged on with heavy losses of troops and military hardware, leaving it to look to allies such as Iran and North Korea to replenish its arms stock.
SEE ALSO: U.S. Announces New Sanctions On Tehran After Iranian President Sworn InOn February 22, the U.S. administration also warned Iran of a "swift and severe" response from the international community if Tehran provided ballistic missiles to Russia,
National-security spokesman John Kirby said at the time that Washington had yet to confirm the missiles had been transferred by Iran to Russia, but he said the move appeared likely.
"In this press reporting, the Iranians are clearly indicating that they will ship ballistic missiles to Russia, and we have no reason to believe they will not follow through," Kirby said.
Tehran has been providing Russia with unmanned aerial vehicles or drones, guided aerial bombs, and artillery ammunition, according to U.S. and Ukrainian officials following widespread evidence of Iran-made Shahed drones causing damage and casualties in Ukraine, leading to additional Western sanctions.
"Iranian officials also continue to deny providing any UAVs [unmanned arial systems] to Russia when evidence is plain for the world to see that Russia has used these UAVs in relentless attacks against the civilian population in Ukraine, against civilian infrastructure," Patel told reporters.
Newly elected Iranian President Masud Pezeshkian, considered by many to be a reformist leader, has spoken of hopes of improving relations with the West, but Patel expressed skepticism.
"This duplicity is only the latest reminder to the international community that the Iranian regime lacks in credibility," he said.
In January, the State Department issued a similar warning against North Korea in a joint statement with the European Union and dozens of others countries, including many in Asia.
“The transfer of these weapons increases the suffering of the Ukrainian people, supports Russia’s war of aggression, and undermines the global non-proliferation regime,” it said on January 9.