WANA (August 14) – The U.S. Department of Defense, during a recent press briefing, reiterated its concerns over Russia’s defense relationships with its allies, including Iran, and stated that the Pentagon is closely monitoring these ties.

 

Pentagon spokesperson Pat Ryder emphasized that the department is paying close attention to the military cooperation between Russia, North Korea, China, and Iran.

 

According to a report by Pravda, during the August 13 briefing, Ryder was asked if Washington is concerned about the growing cooperation between North Korea and Russia, as well as between Iran, China, and Russia, especially in light of their participation in the “Army 2024” International Military-Technical Forum in Moscow.

 

He responded, “We are closely monitoring these relationships and have concerns, particularly because Russia is seeking to acquire weapons and ammunition from these countries to support its war in Ukraine. This is something we will continue to monitor carefully.”

 

Previously, the White House expressed that Russia’s military cooperation with North Korea is dangerous not only for Ukraine but also for countries in the Pacific Rim.

 

The U.S. State Department has also claimed that Iran is providing military support to Russia in the Ukraine war and stated that it is prepared to take action with its allies if Iran supplies ballistic missiles to Russia.

 

Reuters reported that European intelligence services believe Iran may soon provide “hundreds” of short-range ballistic missiles to Russia. The U.S. government has also accused Iran of supplying combat drones to Russia for use in the Ukraine conflict.

 

In response, Iranian officials have rejected these claims, stating that Iran’s military cooperation with Russia falls within the framework of their bilateral defense relations and has no connection to the Ukraine war.

 

Iran has emphasized that, unlike Ukraine’s Western allies, who openly intervene in the conflict by providing military and financial support to Kyiv, Iran does not support any party in the war or the option of war in general.

 

Iran has also expressed its willingness to mediate between the parties involved in the conflict to facilitate peace negotiations and find a political solution to the dispute.

 

Moscow, reacting to Western claims that it is seeking to import weapons from its partners for use in the Ukraine war, has stated that, unlike Kyiv, which relies on weapons and ammunition supplies from its allies, Russia is depending on its domestic military-industrial capabilities to advance its plans in the conflict.