Iran rejects claims it sent military personnel to Crimea

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iran on Monday rejected US claims that Tehran had sent military personnel on the ground in Crimea to help Moscow strike Ukraine with drones, calling the allegations propaganda by the media. 

In his weekly press briefing, foreign ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani denied that Iranian military forces had been sent to Russian-annexed Crimea, adding that Tehran is ready to help end the “unnecessary” war in Ukraine. 

Last week, the White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters that Iran has sent a “relatively small number” of personnel to Crimea to assist Russian troops in launching Iranian-made drones against Ukraine. 

“This fake news is done with political goals to divert public opinion,” Kanaani said, as cited by Iranian state media, about the claims by the US. 
“We reject and reject the fruitless accusations against the Islamic Republic of Iran and do not accept them.

Ukraine has accused Russia of using Iranian drones in its recent devastating attacks on major Ukrainian cities. The Kremlin has said it has no information on Iranian-made drones being used in the war while Tehran has repeatedly denied sending armed drones to Moscow.  The US, the UK, and the European Union imposed sanctions on Iran, accusing the country of providing drones to Russia. 

Ukraine has also downgraded its diplomatic relations with Iran in protest of its drones being used against civilian targets.  “Ukraine, as a result of the wrong creation of atmosphere by other parties, has engaged in a non-constructive behavior in relation to Iran and reducing the level of relations,” he stated. 

Despite Iran adamantly denying these accusations, social media accounts affiliated to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) constantly post footage showing their weapons being used in Ukraine.

The condemnation by Ukraine and its western allies for the reported use of Iranian suicide drones in Ukraine is the latest wave of international pressure on Iran amid a violent crackdown on protests at home, and a lack of progress in nuclear negotiations.

By Zheen Saman