Notably, the visit comes at a time when the US has said that Iran is planning to supply hundreds of drones with combat weapon capabilities to Russia for use in Ukraine
File image of Vladimir Putin. AP
New Delhi: Russian president Vladimir Putin will travel to the Iranian capital Tehran on 19 July for a Syria peace summit with his Iranian counterpart Ebrahim Raisi and Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Kremlin announced on Tuesday.
This will be Putin’s second visit abroad since Russia invaded Ukraine on 24 February. He visited the former Soviet nation Tajikistan in late June.
Russia, Turkey and Iran have in recent years been holding talks on Syria as part of the so-called “Astana peace process” to end more than 11 years of conflict in the Middle Eastern nation.
The Kremlin said Putin will also hold separate talks with Erdogan in Tehran, without providing more details.
Erdogan has been trying to mediate between Moscow and Kyiv.
Iran to supply combat drones to Russia: US
Notably, the visit comes at a time when the US has said that Iran is planning to supply hundreds of drones with combat weapon capabilities to Russia for use in Ukraine.
“The Iranian government is preparing to provide Russia with up to several hundred UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles), including weapons-capable UAVs, on an expedited timeline,” Sullivan told reporters on Monday.
Jake Sullivan, the White House national security advisor, said the information received by the United States supported views that the Russian military is facing challenges sustaining its weaponry after significant losses in Ukraine.
“Our information further indicates that Iran is preparing to train Russian forces to use these UAVs, with initial training sessions slated to begin as soon as early July,” he said.
Sullivan said it was not clear whether Iran had delivered any of the drones to Russia yet.
He added that Iranian drones have been used by the Houthi rebels in Yemen to attack Saudi Arabia. While Tehran backs the Houthis, Riyadh supports the internationally recognised government in Yemen.
Drones have played a crucial role on both sides of the war in Ukraine, for everything from firing missiles from a distance, to dropping small bombs on targets, to conducting reconnaissance for artillery forces and ground troops.
Ukraine’s forces have had particular success in using Turkish-made Bayraktar armed combat UAVs, and the United States and other allies have supplied Kyiv with many types of smaller drones.
“From our perspective, we will continue to do our part to help sustain the effective defense of Ukraine and to help the Ukrainians show that the Russian effort to try to wipe Ukraine off the map cannot succeed,” Sullivan said.
With inputs from AFP
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