UK Defence Secretary, John Healey has suggested that Iran’s use of drone attacks in its conflict with the United States and Israel may be influenced by Putin, Russia.
Healey claimed that some of Iran’s strategies in the Middle East crisis, which started on February 28 when Israel and the United States initiated strikes on Iran, may be the result of Putin’s “hidden hand.”
He informed reporters that authorities were looking for “any evidence of Russian or any other foreign components and parts” in an Iranian-made drone that attacked the UK’s RAF Akrotiri air base in Cyprus on March 1.
“We will update you and appropriately publish any findings when we’ve got them,” he said during a visit to Britain’s military headquarters in Northwood Headquarters near London.
“But I think no one will be surprised to believe that Putin’s hidden hand is behind some of the Iranian tactics, potentially some of their capabilities as well, not least because one world leader that is benefiting from the sky-high oil prices at the moment is Putin,” he added.
Russia is a close ally of Iran, with the two countries agreeing last year to cooperate in countering what they described as “common threats”.
According to US President Donald Trump, there is no proof that Russia is aiding Iran in the war, but if it were, it would not be “helping much.”
Healey was informed by Nick Perry, the commander of joint operations for the British military, that there were “definitely” indications of a connection between Iran and Russia, including Iran’s use of drones “as learned from the Russians.”
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No one was injured when the drone struck a hangar at RAF Akrotiri. British warplanes also shot down two additional drones heading toward the base on the same day.
Later, Guy Foden informed Healey that two Iranian drones were shot down on Wednesday by UK troops stationed at a military installation in Erbil, Iraq, that is hosting international coalition forces.
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