Iran and Russia - The river runs deep with these strategically unhappy bedfellows..
Gisreportsonline reported on August 24, 2023 - that “Iran’s current (and arguably short-term role), in supporting the Russian aggression against Ukraine is evident. While there is evidence that
#Russialies for its arms production via intermediaries in third countries,
#Iran is the only country openly admitting it is providing weapons. Many crewless combat aerial vehicles (Shahed drones) have been delivered to the Russian army from Iran’s manufacturers, and preparations are being made to make them in Russia. Presumably, Iran also provides large volumes of other munitions, ranging from artillery and mortar shells to small-arms rounds, for the invader’s troops.
Some supplies have been carried via large cargo planes of Iranian airlines (Iran has several private and public airline companies in operation) that have been tracked flying from Iran to airports in Moscow. But the main pathway has been via the Caspian Sea. Tracking of maritime movements has shown a boost in the number of vessels sailing from ports in Iran, mainly Amirabad and Bandar Anzali, to Astrakhan in Russia and up the Volga River.
It is telling that many of these ships make parts of their journeys with their AIS (Automatic Identification System) transponders turned off. Although this clearly violates international maritime safety regulations, the practice has become increasingly common for Russian shipping engaged in clandestine intelligence activities and evading sanctions on oil export via ship-to-ship transfers at sea. Ships “going dark” on the Caspian Sea indicate shady business going on.
The incentive for Iran to engage in these activities goes beyond seeking to influence the outcome of the war in Ukraine. Given its isolation under heavy Western sanctions, Tehran has a longer-term interest in securing Russian financing for a project critical to its economic survival, the International North-South Transport Corridor (
#INSTC).
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