On September 6, 2024, the Wall Street Journal reported that made-in-Iran, short-range, ballistic missiles had arrived in Russia. Iran officially denied the report, but apparently that memo did not reach all members of Iran’s national security apparatus. On Saturday, Ahmad Bakhshayesh-Ardestani, an Australia-educated member of the Islamic Republic’s parliamentary committee on national security (who previously served on the committee between 2012 and 2016), confirmed that Iran was exporting missiles to Russia.
Bakhshayesh-Ardestani said Iran is bartering missiles and drones in exchange for wheat and soy. Likely, the financial restrictions on the two states are preventing trade through capital. He added, “Since they imposed sanctions on our oil, we are forced to sell oil to China at a discount and sometimes receive credit and goods in return.” He added, “Even when we want to receive cash, we must give half of it to foreign exchange bureau and other countries’ banks; it’s natural that we need to sell drones and missiles.”
In October 2023, the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, and the European Union allowed the United Nations embargo on missile trade with Iran to expire, despite warnings that Iran would export its missiles to Russia, which could then use them against Ukraine.
Before the expiration of the UN embargo, missile trade with Iran would result in a Security Council vote to snap back UN sanctions. Now, this opportunity has been lost.
Asked whether Iran risks sanctions by exporting missiles to Russia, Bakhshayesh-Ardestani rebuked, “There is nothing darker than black. We give missiles to Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Hashd al-Shaabi. Why not Russia?” Simply put, by acquiescing to Iranian trade with terrorists, President Joe Biden and many of his predecessors convinced Iranian leaders they would suffer no consequence for expanding such trade outside of the Middle East.
Read the rest in the Middle East Forum Observer.
