Iran and the Russo-Ukrainian war (2022–present)

speaking to the Russian State Duma on 20 January 2022 The United Nations Security Council Resolution 2231 enacted an arms embargo on Iran in 2015. The embargo on conventional Iranian arms ended in October 2020, but the restrictions on Iran regarding missiles and related technologies were in place until October 2023. On 20 January 2022, Ebrahim Raisi, the president of Iran gave a speech to the Russian Duma. In the speech, he condemned NATO, accusing it of "infiltrating various geographical areas with new coverings that threaten the common interests of independent states" and emphasized the relations between Iran and Russia. In September 2025, the UN reimposed sanctions on Iran through the "snapback" mechanism, freezing Iranian assets abroad, halting arms transactions, and imposing penalties related to the country's ballistic-missile program. Snapback sanctions were rejected by China and Russia. ==Iranian weapons deliveries to Russia==

On 24 February 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine. By 12 April, Russia's attempt to take Kyiv had failed. On that date, The Guardian reported that Iran was smuggling weapons from Iraq to Russia. On 11 July, and again on 17 July, with Russian drone supplies running low, US officials said that Iran was planning to provide Russia with drones. By 17 October, with Russia losing ground to Ukrainian counteroffensives in the East and in the South, Russia had obtained Iranian suicide drones, which it used to attack civilian infrastructure. By 18 October, Iranian military officials were in Crimea helping Russia to operate Iranian drones. meeting with Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi in Tehran, 19 July 2022 On 16 October, The Washington Post reported that Iran was planning to supply Russia with both drones and missiles. On 21 November, the Ukrainian defense ministry said that according to reports in the Israeli press, Israel might respond by transferring short-range and medium-range missiles to Ukraine. On 18 October the U.S. State Department accused Iran of violating United Nations Security Council Resolution 2231 by selling Shahed 131 and Shahed 136 drones to Russia, agreeing with similar assessments by France and the United Kingdom. Iran's ambassador to the UN responded by writing to the UNSC on 19 and 24 October stating that this was an erroneous interpretation of paragraph 4 of annex B of the resolution, which clearly states it applies to items that "could contribute to the development of nuclear weapon delivery systems", which these drones could not. Iran denied sending arms for use in the Ukraine war. On 22 October France, Britain and Germany formally called for an investigation by the UN team responsible for UNSCR 2231. after a Russian attack with Iranian drones on 17 October 2022 On 1 November, CNN reported that Iran was preparing to send ballistic missiles and other weapons to Russia for use in Ukraine. On 21 November, CNN reported that an intelligence assessment had concluded that Iran planned to help Russia begin production of Iran-designed drones in Russia. The country making the intelligence assessment was not named. Iran has reportedly supplied Russia with short-range ballistic missiles, escalating their military support in the Ukraine war. Russia's Iranian drone attacks Russia used Iranian Shahed 136 drones in an attack on Kyiv on 17 October 2022, during which 4 civilians were killed, including one woman who was six months pregnant. Another Russian attack using Iranian drones took place on 28 May 2023. Ukraine said it shot down all but one of the drones, but one person was killed. Another strike on 20 June used 35 Iranian-designed Shahed drones, 32 of which were claimed to be shot down by Ukraine. On 22 November 2024, Russia attacked a residential area in Sumy, Ukraine, using Shahed drones. Two civilians were killed in the attack and 12 were injured. Ukrainian response On 3 November 2022, Ukraine warned Iran to expect an "absolutely ruthless" response if it were to continue supplying weapons to Russia. On 24 November, Ukraine announced that Iranian military advisers had been killed in Crimea. It said that Iranians in occupied territory would continue to be targeted. On 24 May 2023, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy appealed to the people of Iran to oppose the Iran government, asking them not to be complicit with being on the same side "with such an evil as Russian aggression." On 2 February 2026, Ukraine designated Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization, citing Iranian support for Russia and Iran's violent crackdown on protestors during the 2025–2026 Iranian protests. == Iranian troops in Russian-occupied Crimea ==

On 21 October 2022, a White House press release stated that Iranian troops were in Crimea assisting Russia in launching drone attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure. On 24 November, Ukrainian officials said the military had killed ten Iranians and would target any further Iranian military presence in Ukraine. The Institute for the Study of War assessed that these are likely Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps or IRGC-affiliated personnel, as this formation is the primary operator of Iranian drones. == Impact on Iran–United States relations==

Iran's support for Russia, combined with Iranian suppression of the Mahsa Amini protests, and moves towards increased uranium enrichment, has led to a more confrontational relationship between the United States and Iran. As of 24 November 2022, the United States was not looking to revive any nuclear deal with Iran and had recently imposed additional sanctions on Iran. On 9 January 2023, US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said that Iran's sale of drones to Russia might be "contributing to widespread war crimes" in Ukraine. Sullivan said that the US would look into holding Iran's leadership to account. ==See also==