Russia flew €140m in cash and captured Western weapons to Iran in return for deadly drones, source claims

A Russian military aircraft secretly transported the cash and three models of munition - a British NLAW anti-tank missile, a US Javelin anti-tank missile and a Stinger anti-aircraft missile - to an airport in Tehran in August, the source told Sky News.

Image:An Ilyushin IL-76 aircraft is believed to have transported the cash and weapons, the source said. File pic

Why you can trust Sky NewsRussia flew €140m in cash and a selection of captured UK and US weapons to Iran in return for dozens of deadly drones for its war in Ukraine, a security source has claimed.A Russian military aircraft secretly transported the cash and three models of munition - a British NLAW anti-tank missile, a US Javelin anti-tank missile and a Stinger anti-aircraft missile - to an airport in Tehran in the early hours of 20 August, the source told Sky News, speaking on condition of anonymity to share sensitive information.Sponsored linkRecommended byIf you have a mouse, you have to play this game. No Install. Play for free.DITOGAMES CombatSiegeUnsold Cruise Cabins that might be available for almost nothingCruise Offers | Search AdsThe weapons had been part of a shipment of UK and US military equipment intended for the Ukrainian military that "fell into Russian hands", according to the source.The source said they could give Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) the ability to study Western technology and potentially copy it."They will probably be reverse-engineered and used in future wars," the source said.For its part, Iran supplied Russia with more than 160 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), including 100 Shahed-136 drones, the source claimed. These have been nicknamed "suicide drones" because they explode on impact.The source alleged that a further drone deal worth €200m (£174m) had been agreed between Tehran and Moscow in the past few days.