Russia Working with Iran, North Korea on New Arms Deals: White House

Russia's President Vladimir Putin (L), who arrived to attend the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF), meets with Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Tehran, Iran, Nov. 23, 2015. (REUTERS/Alexei Druzhinin/Sputnik/Kremlin/File Photo}

Russia is working with Iran and North Korea to increase its military capabilities and improve performance in its attempted conquest of Ukraine.

Iran’s theocratic regime has been supplying Russia with suicide drones and munitions for tanks and artillery since last year, according to White House National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby.

“In part because of all these sweeping sanctions and export controls that we’ve imposed… Russia has had to rely on pariah states like North Korea and Iran to be able to continue prosecuting this war,” Kirby said during a Feb. 24 call with reporters.

“Iran’s support for Russia’s war is expanding.”

Kirby said that, in addition to the drones and munitions previously sent to Russia, the two authoritarian powers were now seeking to exchange more high-tech capabilities.

Iran is seeking to provide Russia with more drones, artillery, and new missiles in exchange for advanced electronics, air defense systems, and possibly attack helicopters and fighter jets, Kirby said.

“Iran is seeking billions of dollars in military equipment from Russia,” Kirby added.

The revelation of Russia’s increasing ties with authoritarian powers throughout the world comes just hours after the White House announced sanctions and export controls valued at $2.8 billion.

The move, according to a White House fact sheet, is intended to cripple Russia’s ability to conduct its attempted conquest of Ukraine, and targets entities in Russia, Iran, and China.

Relatedly, the United States warned earlier in the week that China’s communist regime was considering providing lethal aid to Russia’s military, though Kirby said that U.S. intelligence had not discovered evidence that such aid was yet rendered.

“While we have indications that China may be considering the provision of lethal capabilities to Russia, we haven’t seen them move in that direction,” Kirby said.

“We’ve been clear both privately and publicly with respect to that potential outcome… China should not want to become tangibly involved in that manner.”

Despite the Biden administration’s claim that China has not provided such aid, however, a recent report suggests that the regime has concealed military shipments to Russia, disguising them as civilian components.

The report, published Feb. 23 by Der Spiegel, claims that China disguised military aviation equipment sent to Russia as civil in nature, and also used intermediaries in the UAE to illicitly ship dual-use drones to Russia for use in Ukraine.

When asked whether the White House believed that Putin must be removed from power to end the war in Ukraine, Kirby underscored that the United States only sought to help Ukraine maintain its self-defense.

“This is not about regime change,” Kirby said. “We’re doing this to support Ukraine so they can preserve their independence and sovereignty and try to claw back their territory.”

“Victory is going to be decided by President Zelenskyy. Quite frankly, we believe that Putin has already lost.”