Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Saturday that the Iranian regime should not be given more time.
“Ukraine does not share a border with Iran,” he told the Munich Security Conference. “We have never had a conflict of interests with the Iranian regime. But the Iranian Shahed drones they sold to Russia are killing our people and destroying our infrastructure.”
He argued that if the Iranian regime is given time, it will cause more destruction. “Regimes like the one in Iran must not be given time, when they have time, they only kill more. They must be stopped immediately, and this is exactly what should have happened with the Ayatollah after all the wars his regime unleashed and all the lives it took.”
Iran’s supplying of Shahed attack drones to Russia has become one of the most visible examples of Tehran’s involvement in Moscow’s war effort.
The drones, relatively cheap and hard to intercept in large swarms, have repeatedly targeted Ukraine’s energy grid and residential neighbourhoods in the conflict that began in February 2022.
“When the Iranian regime forces gave Russia the Shahed drones they were simple weapons. They could be shut down easily,” said the Ukrainian leader.
“Now their hit is different. It has a jet engine, it can fly at different altitudes. It can be guided by an operator … in real time, and it can use Starlink to reach its target. It can even carry other drones.”
Mr Zelensky has repeatedly accused Iran of supplying drones to Russia. Tehran has admitted sending drone parts to Russia.
Last month, in an address at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Mr Zelenskyy accused the international community of abandoning the Iranian people during nationwide protests.
Iran has been experiencing the largest wave of unrest since the inception of the Islamic republic in 1979. According to activist groups, more than 7,000 people were killed in the protests that met with a violent crackdown by authorities.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi criticised Mr Zelenskyy's remarks at the time, calling him a “confused clown” for urging action against Tehran amid increasing regional tension.
The US has resumed indirect nuclear talks with Iran, through the Oman's mediation. A next round is yet to be announced but media reports have been touting next Tuesday as a possible date.
