Iran Responds To Ukraine Demotion Of Ambassador Over Russia Drones

Iran says it will “respond appropriately” to Ukraine’s revoking of its ambassador’s accreditation over alleged drone sales to Russia.

In a short statement on Saturday, Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani said Ukraine’s decision to downgrade diplomatic relations with Iran was “regrettable” and based on “unconfirmed reports” by foreign media.

Kanani said Iran has exercised a “clear policy of active neutrality” when dealing with the war in Ukraine as it has stressed hostilities need to be resolved through dialogue.

“The numerous meetings and calls of our country’s foreign minister with Russian and Ukrainian counterparts in recent months have been in line with helping to resolve the crisis,” he said.

The first apparent evidence of the use of Iranian drones by Russia came earlier this month when Ukraine’s military published several images of what it said was likely a Shahed-136 drone – painted in Russian colours and numbers – downed in Kupiansk in the Kharkiv region.

One day later, British military intelligence supported the claim, saying it was “highly likely” that Russia is deploying Iranian-made drones in the conflict.