TEHRAN -- Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman said Friday defense cooperation between Tehran and Moscow dates back to years before the start of the war in Ukraine, stressing that this cooperation is not against any third country.
“Military and defense ties between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Russian Federation sit in the framework of mutual interests of the two states and are not against any third country,” Nasser Kanaani told Sputnik.
Iran and Russia have a long history of military cooperation which did not start since the eruption of conflict in Ukraine, he said.
The remarks come a year since Russia started what a “special military operation” against Ukraine which according to Moscow aims to stop Kiev’s persecution of pro-Russian population in eastern Ukraine and to “de-Nazify” the ex-Soviet republic.
Western countries have accused Iran of sending military drones to Russia. Tehran has strongly rejected the allegations, noting that it has not sent any drones to Russia for use in the Ukraine war.
Kanaani said those who are regularly waging propaganda against Iran and wrongly accuse it of supporting Russia should “take a look at the volume of their arms shipments” to the one side of the conflict.
He said the countries that are exporting arms worth tens of billions of dollars to the one side of the conflict are not helping to end the war.
The Islamic Republic, he added, has put efforts since the start of the conflict to find a political solution to end the war.
Iran and Ukraine have a history of friendly relations, the diplomat said, adding the level of ties has decreased since last year due to the situation in Ukraine and Western countries’ political pressures on Kiev.
Meanwhile, relations between Iran and Russia are based on the political will of the leaders of the two countries, Kanaani said.

Iran and Russia, he said, enjoy great, joint, and complementary economic capacities, and that their bilateral cooperation is expanding in various areas such as economy, industry, energy, and transportation, for the benefit of the two nations.
On Wednesday, Iran’s Ambassador and permanent representative to the United Nations Amir Saeed Iravani told the UN General Assembly that Tehran has not changed its stance with regard to the war in Ukraine.
“We are steadfast in our commitment to upholding the principles and purposes enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, including the principles of sovereign equality and territorial integrity of States,” he said.
Iravani added that the ongoing conflict is “detrimental to both parties as neither can earn any long-term advantage. It is crucial for all involved parties to abandon the military ambitions and prioritize finding a peaceful diplomatic resolution.”
Iravani said the ongoing conflict is “detrimental to both parties as neither can earn any long-term advantage”.
“It is crucial for all involved parties to abandon the military ambitions and prioritize finding a peaceful diplomatic resolution.”