Iranian leader Ebrahim Azizi, who is head of the national security commission of the Iranian parliament, said on Saturday that Ukraine is now a “legitimate and lawful target” after it offered to provide Israel support with drone warfare. “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,” said Azizi, chairman of the Majlis’ National Security Committee, in a post on X.
Though there is no official information about cooperation between Kyiv and Tel Aviv, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky claimed to have sent “relevant specialists” to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE to help repel Iranian drone attacks.
Zelensky said last week that the US had turned to it for help on anti-drone defences, tapping into Ukraine’s years of experience combating the Iran-designed Shahed drones deployed by Russia.
“We received a request from the United States for specific support in protection against ‘Shaheds’ in the Middle East region,” Zelensky wrote on X. “I gave instructions to provide the necessary means and ensure the presence of Ukrainian specialists who can guarantee the required security.”
Ebrahim Azizi’s comments are in line with Iran’s threats to other European powers seen to have helped the US or Israel.
Azizi claimed that providing drone support to Israel would constitute direct participation in hostilities and argued that such involvement would make Ukrainian territory a lawful target for Iran under international law.
He argued that under Article 51 of the UN Charter, which allows states to exercise the right of self-defence, Iran would consider Ukrainian territory a legitimate target but did not provide evidence supporting the claim that Ukraine has assisted Israel.
