Iran condemns call for UN investigation into alleged use of its drones in Ukraine war

Iran on Saturday strongly condemned a call by France, Germany and Britain for the United Nations to probe accusations that Russia has used Iranian-origin drones to attack Ukraine, its foreign ministry said.

Ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani said Friday's call by the so called E-3 group of countries was "false and baseless" and that it was "strongly rejected and condemned".

Ukraine says Russia has used Iranian-made Shahed-136 attack drones that cruise towards their target and explode on impact.

Tehran denies supplying the drones to Moscow and Russia has denied its forces used Iranian drones to attack Ukraine.

"The Islamic republic of Iran considers the current provocative approaches of the European Union and the United Kingdom to be part of a targeted political scenario," Kanani said in a statement.

"The government of the Islamic Republic of Iran, in its pursuit to protect its national interest and to secure the rights of the noble Iranian people, reserves the right to respond to any irresponsible action," the Iranian foreign ministry website quoted Kanaani as saying.

"It will not hesitate to defend the interests of the Iranian people," he said, without elaborating.

In a letter signed by their UN envoys and seen by Reuters, the three European countries backed Ukraine's call on Monday for a UN probe, arguing the drone use breached UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 2231 endorsing the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. 

(Reuters)