Ukrainian lawmaker submits draft resolution on breaking ties with Iran

By Burc Eruygur

ANKARA (AA) - A draft resolution was submitted to Ukraine's parliament on Tuesday proposing to sever diplomatic relations with Iran, and recognizing it as a "state sponsor of terrorism," a member of parliament said.

"Ukraine will break diplomatic relations with Iran! I submitted to the Verkhovna Rada (parliament) a resolution on severing diplomatic relations with Iran and recognizing it as a state sponsor of terrorism," said lawmaker Oleksiy Goncharenko.

The draft resolution comes amid tensions between Kyiv and Tehran over claims on the provision of Iranian drones to Russia circulating in Western media outlets.

According to reports in Western media, citing US and European officials, Iran has agreed to supply drones and surface-to-surface missiles to Russia intended for use in the Ukraine war.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday that he had no available data on Iranian drone deliveries to Russia.

On Monday, Iran's Foreign Ministry refuted Western reports of Russia using Iranian-made drones in Ukraine during a weekly presser.

"Iran has repeatedly declared that it is not a party to the war between Russia and Ukraine," Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani said, asserting that Tehran had supplied no weapons to either of the warring countries.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba on Monday called on the EU to impose sanctions on Iran "for providing Russia with drones."

Last month, Ukraine announced that it was downgrading its ties with Tehran and stripped the Iranian envoy in Kyiv of his accreditation over what it called the "unfriendly" decision to supply Russia with drones.

Iran announced that it regretted the Ukrainian decision and vowed an "appropriate" response, while urging Kyiv to "avoid being influenced by third parties that seek to destroy ties" between them.