US accuses Iran of supplying ballistic missiles to Russia

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken says Russia has received ballistic missiles from Iran that could be used against Ukraine in the coming weeks.

In a joint press conference with his British counterpart David Lammy in London on Tuesday, Blinken said that the US had warned Iran that supplying such weapons to Russia would "constitute a dramatic escalation."

Blinken announced new US sanctions against Iran in response, and said that he expects allies and partners to take their own measures.

Kyiv summoned the Iranian envoy following earlier media reports this week about the delivery of the missiles.

The Iranian missiles have a maximum range of around 120 kilometres, and would enable Russia to use its own arsenal for targets further away from the front line, the US secretary of state said.

"This development and the growing cooperation between Russia and Iran threatens European security and demonstrates how Iran's destabilizing influence reaches far beyond the Middle East," said Blinken.

Russia, in return, is said to be passing on technology that Iran wants.

Iran's foreign office spokesman Nasser Kanaani rejected the accusations. He said it was regrettable that "some parties who are themselves part of the war" were making accusations against the Islamic Republic of Iran with political aims.

It is well known that Iran has supplied so-called kamikaze drones to Russia in the past, despite denials from the government in Tehran.

Blinken travelled to the British capital at the beginning of the week to discuss deepening cooperation with London. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is expected to visit Washington at the end of the week.

Blinken and Lammy, representing two of Ukraine's most important backers, announced on Tuesday that they plan to visit the country later this week.