Putin to visit Iran amid reports Tehran wants to supply ‘several hundred’ drones to Russia

Putin’s visit to Iran will happen just days after Joe Biden’s trip to regional rivals Saudi Arabia and Israel

Vladimir Putin will visit Iran next week amid concerns that Russia is turning to Tehran to provide weapons for use in Ukraine, something the US claims could happen imminently.

The visit assumes even greater significance as Joe Biden is due to begin a trip to Iran’s regional rivals Saudi Arabia and Israel starting on Wednesday.

Both countries have resisted joining global efforts to punish Russia for its invasion of Ukraine due to their domestic interests.

It was also reported that the US president is thinking of lifting a ban on US sales of weapons to Saudi Arabia on the condition that it moves towards ending its war with Yemen.

The potential decision comes as the US seeks an increase in Gulf oil supplies and to counter Iran.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said in a Tuesday statement that Mr Putin will visit Iran, just a day after the US cited intelligence suggesting the country will help Russia access “several hundred” unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) or drones, including those capable of carrying weapons, for use in Ukraine.

The Russian president will also attend a trilateral meeting with Iran and Turkey’s leaders in a version of the so-called Astana format of meetings for talks about the security situation in Syria, reported the Associated Press.

Mr Peskov added that the Russian president will hold a separate meeting with Recep Tayyip Erdogan during his trip to Tehran.

The Turkish president had acted as a mediator in talks between Russian and Ukrainian representatives in Istanbul in March.

The Kremlin, however, has said there has been no discussion of a new round of similar negotiations.

The US has cited intelligence suggesting Tehran will also train Russian troops in using the UAVs.

“Information indicates that the Iranian government is preparing to provide Russia with up to several hundred UAVs, including weapons-capable UAVs on an expedited timeline,” US national security adviser Jake Sullivan said at a White House press briefing on Monday, reported CNN.

“Our information further indicates that Iran is preparing to train Russian forces to use these UAVs, with initial training sessions slated in as soon as early July. It’s unclear whether Iran has delivered any of these UAVs to Russia already,” he added.

Additional reporting by agencies