UK DEFENCE SECRETARY SUSPECTS RUSSIAN ROLE IN IRAN’S DRONE TACTICS AMID MIDDLE EAST CONFLICT
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By: Fasasi Hammad
UK Defence Secretary John Healey said on Thursday that Russia may be influencing Iran’s use of drone strikes in its ongoing conflict with the United States and Israel.
Healey suggested that Russian President Vladimir Putin could have a “hidden hand” in some of the tactics employed by Tehran in the Middle East war, which began after the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran on February 28.
Speaking to reporters during a visit to Britain’s military headquarters in Northwood, near London, Healey said officials were examining an Iranian-made drone that struck the UK’s Akrotiri air force base in Cyprus on March 1 for possible Russian or other foreign components.
“We will update you and appropriately publish any findings once the analysis is complete,” he said.
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He added that it would not be surprising if Putin was involved in shaping some Iranian tactics or capabilities, noting that the Russian leader is among those benefiting from the sharp rise in global oil prices.
Russia and Iran maintain close ties, having agreed last year to cooperate in countering what they described as “common threats.”
However, US President Donald Trump said on Saturday that he had seen no clear indication that Russia was supporting Iran in the conflict, adding that even if it were, it was not “helping much.”
Meanwhile, the British military’s Chief of Joint Operations, Nick Perry, told Healey there were “definitive” indications of a connection between the two countries, including Iran’s drone operations, which he said reflected tactics learned from Russia.
No casualties were reported when the drone struck a hangar at Akrotiri, while British warplanes intercepted two additional drones heading toward the base on the same day.
In a separate briefing, British Army Brigadier Guy Foden informed Healey that UK troops stationed at a coalition military base in Erbil, Iraq, helped shoot down two Iranian drones on Wednesday.
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