Iran is mediating secret talks between Russia and the Houthis to deliver anti-ship missiles, Reuters reported on Wednesday, citing Western and regional sources.
It was also reported that Moscow has not yet made a decision on whether to supply the Houthis with Yakhont missiles, which could give the Yemeni terrorist organization more precise tools to attack commercial ships or Western warships in the Red Sea.
Back in July, the Wall Street Journal reported that Russia was considering supplying the Houthis with advanced weapons, but Iran's role in the talks has only now been revealed. Tehran officially denies supplying weapons to the Houthis, but experts have identified the missiles and drones as Iranian-made.
Two regional sources familiar with the talks said that representatives of the Houthis and the Russians met in Tehran twice this year and discussed the supply of dozens of Yakhont missiles – already in Hezbollah's possession – with a range of about 300 kilometers.
