Alarm in UK and US over possible Iran-Russia nuclear deal
US President Joe Biden and British PM Keir Starmer fear secret arms link-up amid talks in Washington over Ukraine
Britain and the United States have expressed concerns that Russia may have exchanged nuclear secrets with Iran in return for Tehran providing Moscow with ballistic missiles used in attacks on Ukraine.
During their summit in Washington DC on Friday, UK Labour leader Keir Starmer and U.S. President Joe Biden noted the increasing military cooperation between the two nations, as Iran approaches the completion of uranium enrichment necessary to achieve its long-standing goal of building a nuclear weapon.
British sources revealed that concerns were raised over Iran's exchange of nuclear technology, signaling a strengthening alliance between Tehran and Moscow.
Last Tuesday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken issued a similar warning during a visit to London for a summit with his British counterpart, David Lammy. However, the warning received limited attention as the focus was on the U.S. announcement that Iran had been supplying missiles to Moscow.
"Russia, for its part, is sharing technology that Iran seeks—this is a two-way street—including on nuclear issues as well as some space information," Blinken said, accusing both nations of engaging in destabilizing actions that foster "even greater insecurity" worldwide.
Last week, Britain, France, and Germany jointly warned that Iran's stockpile of highly enriched uranium had "grown significantly, without any credible civilian justification" and that it had amassed four "significant quantities" capable of producing nuclear bombs.
However, it remains unclear how much technical expertise Iran currently has to build a nuclear weapon or how quickly it could do so. Collaborating with experienced Russian specialists or utilizing Russian knowledge could accelerate the process—though Iran continues to deny any intent to develop a nuclear bomb.
In 2015, Iran reached a deal with the U.S. and other Western nations to halt its nuclear weapons program in exchange for sanctions relief. However, the agreement was abandoned in 2018 by then-U.S. president and current Republican nominee Donald Trump.
In response, Iran violated the agreed limits on its enriched uranium stockpile.
For months, Western nations have been increasingly concerned that Iran is close to developing a nuclear weapon, fueling tensions in the Middle East, already strained by Israel’s ongoing conflict with Hamas in Gaza.
Iran, along with its Lebanese proxy Hezbollah, is a supporter of Hamas, and Tehran’s nuclear ambitions are seen as a direct threat by Israel.
Following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Iran began supplying Shahid drones to Moscow and assisted in building a factory to produce more, targeting sites across Ukraine. In April this year, Iran launched a missile and drone attack aimed at Israel, which was largely intercepted with the help of the U.S. and UK.
Although Russia and Iran have not historically been close allies, their opposition to the West has strengthened their partnership. This growing alliance is part of a broader “axis of upheaval,” which also includes China and North Korea, reminiscent of Cold War-era state competition.
Last week in London, Blinken revealed that U.S. intelligence confirmed the delivery of the first batch of Iranian Fath-360 ballistic missiles to Russia. With a range of up to 75 miles (120 km), these high-speed missiles, capable of striking Ukrainian frontline cities, have led to a significant shift in Western strategy and prompted new economic sanctions.
Starmer arrived in Washington late Thursday for a special foreign policy summit with President Biden at the White House on Friday. The meeting began with a brief one-on-one session in the Oval Office, followed by a 70-minute discussion in the Blue Room with senior foreign policy teams from both sides.
UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy British PM Keir Starmer leaves the White House after a meeting with US President Joe Biden on Friday.
The leaders and their advisors discussed a range of issues, including the war in Ukraine, the Middle East crisis, Iran, and the growing rivalry with China.
Starmer was accompanied by David Lammy, Downing Street chief of staff Sue Gray, and UK national security adviser Tim Barrow, while Biden was joined by Secretary of State Antony Blinken and U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan, among others.
Before the meeting, UK sources suggested that Britain and the U.S. had agreed in principle to allow Ukraine to fire long-range Anglo-French Storm Shadow missiles into Russia for the first time. However, Biden hinted this would be a key topic of discussion, telling reporters as the meeting began, “We’re going to discuss that now.”
No official update followed the meeting, partly to keep Moscow uncertain. Any use of the missiles is expected to form part of Ukraine’s broader strategy, targeting airbases, missile launch sites, and other Russian positions used to bomb Ukraine.
Britain requires White House approval for Ukraine to use the missiles in Russia, as they contain U.S.-manufactured components.
During the meeting, Biden and Starmer, the only attendees without printed name cards, led most of the discussion, with other officials speaking when introduced by the president or prime minister. Lammy was asked by Starmer to brief the room on his and Blinken’s recent visit to Kyiv, where they met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.
Following the talks, Starmer described the meeting as a "wide-ranging discussion about strategy."
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