Iran rejects U.S. claim of sending drones to Russia as "baseless"

TEHRAN, July 15 (Xinhua) -- Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian on Friday rejected a recent U.S. claim that Iran is providing Russia with drones for use in Ukraine as "baseless" and politically motivated.

Amir-Abdollahian made the remarks in a phone call with his Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba, according to a press release on the foreign ministry's website, after U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said on Monday that "information" indicates Iran is preparing to provide Russia with "up to several hundred" drones, including weapons-capable ones.

Such allegations, which came just ahead of the ongoing U.S. President Joe Biden's Middle East tour, are aimed at "achieving specific political goals and purposes," the top Iranian diplomat noted.

"Just as we said at the beginning of the (Ukrainian) crisis, we are opposed to war in Afghanistan, Yemen, Palestine and also Ukraine," Amir-Abdollahian told Kuleba.