UN Security Council members demand probe into Russia-Iran military cooperation

US says Russia procures Iranian drones violating Resolution 2231 and UN must respond to growing calls for probe

2023-06-23 23:12:48

TORONTO

Led by the US, France, UK, Albania and Ukraine demanded Friday that the United Nations investigate the "growing military cooperation" between Russia and Iran. 

In a press briefing, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the US envoy to the UN, said on behalf of the nations that the cooperation has allowed Moscow to continue its "brutal war" against Kyiv. 

She recalled that Russia has procured hundreds of Mohajer and Shahed series drones from Iran in "clear" violation of Resolution 2231 and added that Moscow is also now working with Iran to produce these weapons inside Russia. 

"Ukraine, the United States, France, the United Kingdom, and other countries have duly reported these violations to the United Nations, and supplied the UN with additional information and analysis," said the US envoy. 

"The United Nations must respond to growing calls from the international community to investigate these violations," she added. 

Meanwhile, Russia's envoy to the UN Vassily Nebenzia denied the remarks by his US counterpart as baseless, which he said aimed to mislead the international community. 

Nebenzia argued that the documents presented were not based on facts, but on misleading political discourse.