UK Defense Secretary Grant Shapps has accused Iran of supplying Russia with ballistic missiles for use in Ukraine, claiming the regime is a "bad influence" not only on the Middle East but in Europe too.

While Shapps confirmed the UK's possession of information regarding the alleged provision of surface-to-surface missiles from Iran to Russia, he refrained from delving into specifics, saying only that he "can't go into detail".

In an interview with the House Magazine, the senior minister said, “Whether it's ballistic missiles, or the Shahed drones that they supplied Russia with, we've seen that if there's a struggle in the world, often Iran are egging it on, or helping to supply the food chain in this case".. 

The revelation follows a report by Reuters in February, which suggested that the Iranian regime had furnished Russia with a significant quantity of ballistic missiles. The report prompted a reaction from the United States, warning Iran of severe consequences from the international community if the claims were substantiated.

Iran has publicly refuted allegations of supplying missiles to Russia. However, Shapps implied that Britain possesses intelligence supporting the claim.

In October, UN Security Council restrictions on Iran's export of certain missiles, drones, and related technologies expired. Nonetheless, the United States and European Union maintained sanctions on Iran's ballistic missile program, citing worries over the export of weaponry to its proxies in the Middle East and to Russia.