Iranian lawmaker cites UN charter in calling Ukraine ‘legitimate target’ for helping Israel with drones

The head of the Iranian parliament’s National Security Commission on Saturday threatened to attack Ukraine, claiming Kyiv had become a “legitimate target” by supplying drone technology to Israel.

Ebrahim Azizi justified his warning by citing Article 51 of the United Nations charter, which recognizes a country’s right to individual or collective self-defense if an armed attack occurs.

“By providing drone support to the Israeli regime, failed Ukraine has effectively become involved in the War and, under Article 51 of the United Nations Charter, has turned its entire territory into a legitimate target for Iran,” Azizi said in a post on the social platform X.

Azizi did not offer any specific evidence to support his claim, which came as the joint U.S. and Israeli military campaign entered its third week.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced earlier this month that the country was sending a team of military specialists to the Middle East to help the U.S. and allies in the Gulf shoot down incoming Iranian drones.

The Shahed drones being used in Tehran’s retaliatory attacks are the same Iranian-designed systems that Russia, a close ally of theirs, has deployed extensively against Ukraine since launching its full-scale invasion in 2022.

Zelensky noted in a post on X that several countries had reached out for Ukraine’s help in countering the drone strikes, one of which killed six U.S. servicemembers in Kuwait in the early days of the war.

“In just a few days, Iran has launched over 800 missiles of various types and more than 1,400 attack drones. It is Iranian drones and missiles that pose the main threat to free navigation, destabilizing global prices for oil, petroleum products, and gas,” he wrote.

“Ukraine can contribute to protecting lives and stabilizing the situation,” Zelensky added.

The move came amid reports that Russia was sharing intelligence with Iran on the locations of U.S. ships and aircraft in the region. Russian leaders have denied the claims, according to Special Envoy Steve Witkoff.

Zelensky told German journalist Gordon Repinski on Thursday that his country sought to sign a “big drone production deal” with the U.S. but was still awaiting approval from the White House.

“We didn’t have the opportunity to sign this document yet,” he shared on X. “I hope that maybe American friends will be closer to this decision now, especially after such challenges as we see in the Middle East.”

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