TEHRAN – On Thursday, Ali Akbar Ahmadian, Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Saint Petersburg.

The meeting, that took place on the sidelines of the meeting of BRICS’s security chiefs or national security advisors, underscored the deepening ties between Iran and Russia, reflecting their growing strategic partnership in an increasingly multipolar world.

The visit occurred amid heightened scrutiny from Western nations, particularly the United States, which has accused Iran of supplying short-range ballistic missiles to Russia—a claim that Tehran has consistently and categorically denied.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken had claimed that Russia might soon receive Iranian missiles for use in Ukraine, prompting new sanctions against Iran, including measures targeting its national airline, IranAir. The U.S. along with its European allies has also announced further restrictions and canceled bilateral air service agreements with Iran.

In response to these allegations and sanctions, Iran has condemned the actions of the U.S. and European nations as baseless that are primarily intended to create a commotion against Iran. Tehran also summoned the ambassadors of Britain, France, the Netherlands, and Germany, reflecting its dissatisfaction with the continuation of hostile policies from the West.

Iran has been adamant in rejecting accusations from the U.S. and other Western nations that it has supplied missiles to Russia, particularly in the context of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Despite the absence of credible evidence, these accusations persist, with Western leaders pushing the narrative that Iran is complicit in aiding Russia’s military operations.

From Tehran's perspective, this is yet another example of a politically motivated campaign to vilify the nation without substantiated proof. 

Iranian officials have consistently maintained that their military doctrine is defensive in nature and that they have not provided missiles to Russia. The Iranian Foreign Ministry has repeatedly called the allegations "baseless" and stressed that Iran's policy is centered on non-interference in the internal affairs of other nations.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has firmly denied these allegations, stating that the U.S. and E3 countries (Britain, Germany, and France) are acting on “faulty intelligence and flawed logic.” Araghchi emphasized, “Iran has not delivered ballistic missiles to Russia. Period.”

The Kremlin has dismissed the accusations of missile transfers as unfounded. It aligns with Iran’s stance that these claims are part of a broader effort to undermine its position on the global stage. 

This denial has not been met with any meaningful counter-evidence from the accusing parties. Instead, the accusations appear to rest on circumstantial speculation and assumptions, reflecting the flawed logic that the West has often applied when dealing with countries like Iran. The U.S. and its allies seem to view Iran’s close diplomatic and economic ties with Russia as sufficient grounds for assuming military collaboration, despite the lack of hard evidence.

The Western focus on Iran’s alleged involvement in missile transfers to Russia also reflects the broader geopolitical context surrounding the Ukraine conflict. As the war drags on, Western governments are increasingly looking for scapegoats to explain the ongoing challenges in countering Russian military advancements. Iran, already a target of numerous sanctions and diplomatic pressure from the West, has been an easy target for these unfounded allegations. 

However, the logic of the U.S. and other Western nations in accusing Iran of such actions appears increasingly strained. Iran has openly expressed a neutral stance on the Ukraine conflict and has called for diplomatic solutions rather than military escalation. 

Amid these tensions, President Putin praised the "strategic" partnership between Russia and Iran, highlighting the dynamic growth of their relations in recent years. 

Ahmadian, on his part, reaffirmed Iran’s commitment to strengthening ties with Russia, emphasizing the mutual benefits of their strategic cooperation.