The Russia-Iran axis may prompt the West to see Israel with new eyes
JNS.orgJan 31, 2023
Facts
- The Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday that Moscow and Tehran are cooperating on plans to construct a factory in Russia to make at least 6K Iranian-designed drones to be used in the Ukraine war.[1]
- According to officials reportedly from a country aligned with the US, a high-level Iranian delegation flew to Russia in early January to visit the planned site for the factory and decide on details to start the project.[2]
- This drone factory is allegedly part of a $1B deal between both countries, which the White House claims to be developing a "full-fledged defense partnership" that includes also fighter jet training.[1]
- The Washington Post had reported in November that such plans were in the works, stating that Iran and Russia had finalized a deal that month after Russian officials visited Tehran.[3]
- On Friday, the US Dept. of the Treasury announced new sanctions on eight senior officials of an Iranian drone manufacturer for their role in Tehran's supply of drones to Russia.[4]
- Though Tehran acknowledged in November that it had provided drones to the Kremlin, its foreign minister, Hossein Amirabdollahian, stressed that shipments of a limited number of weapons were made before the Ukraine war.[5]
Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
Iran is no longer seen by the West as a problem to be solved, but instead as an outright enemy that is helping to prolong the conflict in Ukraine. Tehran is on a direct collision course with the US and the West and has made a fatal mistake in choosing to side with Russia and Putin.
Establishment-critical narrative
Western propaganda is spreading lies to try to justify the prolongation of the conflict in Ukraine. Despite having long-established defense cooperation with Moscow, Tehran is not taking part in any joint project to produce drones in Russia.
Nerd narrative
There is a 14% chance that Russia will test nuclear weapons in 2023, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
