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Iran kept launchers for missiles sent to Russia, sources state

Iran did not consist of mobile launchers with the closerange ballistic missiles that Washington recently accused Tehran of delivering to Russia for use versus Ukraine, according to 3 sources with knowledge of the matter.

The sources - a European diplomat, a European intelligence authorities and a U.S. authorities - stated it was not clear why Iran did not supply launchers with the Fath-360 missiles, raising concerns about when and if the weapons will be functional. The U.S. official, who like the other sources spoke on condition of privacy, stated Iran had actually not delivered the launchers at the time of the U.S. statement about Iran's. shipment of the weapons. The European intelligence authorities said. without elaborating that they did not expect Iran to offer. launchers.

Reuters initially reported Iran's strategy to send the missiles to. Russia.

Two specialists told Reuters there might be a number of reasons that. the launchers were not sent out. One is that Russia might prepare to. modify trucks to carry the missiles, as Iran has actually done. Another. is that by keeping the launchers, Iran is allowing space for. brand-new talks with Western powers on relieving tensions.

The Russian defense ministry declined to comment.

The U.S. National Security Council did not instantly. react to a request for remark and the Pentagon decreased to. remark.

Iran's mission to the United Nations did not instantly. respond to a request for remark. Tehran rejects supplying Moscow with the missiles or with. countless drones that Kyiv and Western officials have actually stated. Russia uses versus military targets and to ruin civilian. facilities, consisting of Ukraine's electrical grid. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated on Sept. 10 that. Iran had actually delivered the Fath-360s to Russia and would most likely use. them within weeks in Ukraine.

The missile would present an extra challenge for Ukraine,. which is continuously adapting its air defenses to innovations by. Russian forces. Iran's semi-official Fars news firm says the. rocket journeys at four times the speed of noise when. approaching targets.

Blinken stated the rockets threatened European security and. would be fired against short-range targets, enabling Russia to. reserve more of its comprehensive toolbox for targets beyond the. cutting edges. The Fath-360 has a variety of up to 75 miles (121. km).

The United States, Germany, Britain and France enforced new. sanctions on Iran, and the EU stated the bloc was considering. fresh procedures targeting Iran's air travel sector.

The Kremlin at that time declined to validate its invoice of. the missiles however acknowledged that its cooperation with Iran. included the most sensitive locations.

Blinken did not say the number of Fath-360s Iran supplied to. Russia or when they were sent out.

Reuters figured out through shipping data that a Russian. truck approved by Washington, the Port Olya-3, made. trips in between Iran's Caspian Sea port of Amirabad and the. Russian port of Olya a number of times between May and Sept. 12.

Fabian Hinz, a specialist on Iranian missiles with the. International Institute for Strategic Studies, stated he could not. confirm that Tehran withheld the launchers.

Ballistic missiles require specifically designed launchers. in order to be fired.

According to Hinz, one factor Iran didn't send out launchers may. be that the civilian trucks that Iran modified to introduce these. and other missiles are not robust sufficient to operate in rough. surface during Ukraine's harsh winter season. Iran customizes trucks made. by Mercedes and other companies and turns them into easily. camouflaged missile launchers, he stated.

That suggests, he continued, that Russia could modify its. own military-grade vehicles.

A business, off-the-shelf Mercedes truck is just not that. off-road capable, he stated

David Albright, a former U.N. nuclear inspector who heads. the Institute for Science and International Security, also could. not state whether Iran provided the launchers.

However he kept in mind that Iran's new president, Masoud Pezeshkian,. and other Iranian officials will be consulting with European. officials on the sidelines of next week's U.N. General Assembly. in New york city to test the capacity for diplomacy on Tehran's. nuclear program, regional tensions and other disputes. It could be that they

(source: Reuters)