US, Israeli national security advisors discuss Russia-Iran cooperation

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
23 Dec 2022 10:05
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The White House says the US and the Israeli occupation's national security advisors held a virtual meeting on Iran’s growing military relationship with Russia.

US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and Israeli occupation Security Advisor Eyal Hulata (Twitter)

The White House announced on Thursday that US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and Israeli occupation Security Advisor Eyal Hulata held a virtual meeting on the growing military-technical cooperation between Russia and Iran, in the context of the Ukraine war.

In an official statement, the White House said the two sides discussed "Iran’s growing military relationship with Russia, including the transfer of weapons the Kremlin is deploying against Ukraine, targeting its civilian infrastructure, and Russia’s provision of military technology to Iran in return."

According to the White House, Sullivan and Hulata expressed commitment to countering what they called "Iran’s threats to the region" and to ensuring that "Iran can never acquire a nuclear weapon."

The statement also read that the two sides "discussed the broad array of economic sanctions imposed in recent months against Iran," reviewed ongoing cooperation and exercises between the US military and the Israeli occupation forces, and assessed means for enhancing the Israeli occupation's "security and economic integration throughout the Middle East region."

In mid-December, CIA Director William Burns pointed out that the US is concerned about the growing cooperation between Russia and Iran and fears that it could eventually evolve into a full defense partnership.

In the same context, Arkady Mil-Man, former Israeli Ambassador to Moscow, indicated that the growing cooperation between Iran and Russia poses a real danger to the security of the Israeli occupation.

It is noteworthy that Iranian Defense Minister Mohammad-Reza Ashtiani had pointed out that Kiev failed to provide concrete evidence proving that Iran had supplied drones to Russia.

According to Ashtiani, Iran and Russia have a trade and military history that stretches back for decades, but they have never discussed supplying Iranian-made drones to be used in Russia's special operation in Ukraine.

Similarly, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian had confirmed that Iran did provide a small batch of drones to Russia but that was before the Ukraine conflict broke out.

Iran has repeatedly stressed that it will not side in the war, denying all claims that it has provided Russia with weapons to be used in Ukraine.