00:00A Russian cargo ship, suspected of carrying Iranian ballistic missiles intended for Moscow's
00:05war against Ukraine, was spotted at a Russian port on the Caspian Sea last week.
00:11Satellite images identified the vessel, Port Alia 3, at Port Alia in Astrakhan, Russia,
00:17on September 4.
00:19Ship tracking data shows the vessel had previously been in the Iranian port of Amrabad on August
00:2529, but switched off its transponder afterward.
00:28The U.S. Treasury Department confirmed that Russia used the Port Alia 3 to transport close-range
00:33ballistic missiles, CRBMs, from Iran.
00:37By early September, the first shipment had already reached Russia.
00:42As a result, the U.S. imposed sanctions on the Port Alia 3 and several Iranian individuals
00:47involved in the transfer.
00:50Iran's growing support for Russia's war effort marks a significant escalation in their military
00:55cooperation, which has deepened since the invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
01:01Iran has already supplied thousands of drones to Russia and helped establish a drone factory
01:05on Russian soil.
01:08Around the same time the satellite images were revealed, U.S. officials confirmed that
01:12Russia had likely received Iranian Fateh-360 ballistic missiles.
01:17These missiles, with a range of 75 miles and a payload of 330 pounds, could be used in
01:23Ukraine within weeks.
01:26The Fateh-360's range makes it highly effective for targeting Ukrainian positions from a distance
01:32and its ballistic capabilities make it harder to intercept than conventional missiles.
01:37The Institute for the Study of War, ISW, has assessed that Russian forces will likely use
01:43these Iranian missiles to target Ukraine's energy infrastructure, military facilities,
01:48and civilian areas in the months ahead.
01:51However, Iran's government has denied supplying ballistic missiles to Russia, calling the
01:56allegations false.
01:58In Kiev, Ukrainian officials summoned Iran's top diplomat, issuing a warning about serious
02:03consequences for bilateral relations if the reports of missile transfers are confirmed.
02:09The Port Alia 3 has frequently traveled between Russian and Iranian ports this year, and by
02:14September 6th, it had already departed Astrakhan for a heavy journey.
02:19U.S. officials have privately warned Iran that supplying ballistic missiles to Russia
02:24represents a serious escalation of the conflict.
02:27They also revealed that Russian military personnel have been trained in Iran to operate the Fateh-360,
02:34enabling Russia to conserve its own missile stockpile while deploying Iranian missiles
02:38against closer targets in Ukraine.
02:41This arms transfer is part of a broader exchange between Russia and Iran, which also includes
02:47the sharing of military technology.
02:50Talks for these missile deliveries reportedly began last September when Russian officials
02:54visited Iran to inspect missile systems.
02:58The transfer of Iranian missiles may also reignite discussions among Ukraine's allies
03:03about lifting restrictions on Ukraine's ability to use Western-supplied missiles against targets
03:08inside Russia.
03:10Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has consistently urged for greater freedom to
03:14strike deeper into Russian territory.
03:18This issue is expected to be raised during an upcoming meeting between U.S. President
03:22Joe Biden and U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
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