[ad_1]
Weapons from Iraq are being smuggled to Russia with the assistance of Iran and its militant teams all through the Center East, a report by the Guardian newspaper has revealed.
Citing intelligence sources and members of Iran-backed militias in Iraq, the paper reported that a lot of heavy weapons – together with missile defence techniques and anti-tank missiles – have been despatched to Russia by a land and sea route in an effort to assist Moscow with its navy offensive in Ukraine.
The weapons being transported embody RPGs [rocket-propelled grenade launchers], Brazilian-designed rocket launcher techniques, an Iranian-made Bavar 373 missile system, in addition to a returned Russian-made S-300 air defence system.
In accordance with the paper, which quoted a militia commander who helped within the transportation, the arms – which had been sourced by the Standard Mobilisation Forces, the umbrella group of Iran-backed Shia militias in Iraq, had been first taken throughout the Iraqi border into Iran by the Salamja border crossing on 26 March. They had been then acquired by the Iranian navy and transported by sea to Russia.
An instance of one of many shipments was cited by the paper as involving three cargo ships – two Russian-flagged and one Iranian-flagged – which carried the heavy masses and crossed the Caspian Sea from Iran’s northern Bandar Anzali port to the Russian port of Astrakhan.
Iran’s Supreme Chief criticises US over Ukraine disaster
One PMF supply informed the paper that the first motive they’re serving to to smuggle the weapons to Russia is as a result of “No matter is anti-US makes us completely happy.” Another excuse, although, is that “We do not care the place the heavy weapons go” as a result of they don’t have any want of them for now.
The Russian forces, nonetheless, very a lot do want them. In accordance with Yörük Işık, an Istanbul-based maritime affairs skilled who was quoted by the Guardian, “What the Russians want in Ukraine proper now could be missiles. These require ability to move as they’re fragile and explosive…It is also not the type of exercise that might be picked up by satellite tv for pc imagery as they are often transported in giant bins and common delivery containers.”
As for Iran’s important motive for covertly aiding Russian forces of their invasion of Ukraine, it’s reportedly because of the doubtlessly disastrous influence {that a} Russian defeat would have on Iran, particularly in Syria. Regardless of Tehran and Moscow’s delicate rivalry in Syria, the place each are vying for extra management over the nation and affect over Bashar Al-Assad’s regime, their general pursuits and goals are interconnected within the type of their ‘Axis of Resistance’ towards Western hegemony.
As Mohaned Hage Ali, a fellow on the Carnegie Center East Centre, was quoted as saying: “If the Putin regime is destabilised that has large implications for Iran, significantly in Syria, the place Damascus relies on Russian air help and Russia coordinates to keep away from direct battle between them and Israel.”
The ‘Axis of Resistance’ is hypocritical, not ‘anti-imperialist’
[ad_2]
Source link