TEHRAN – The Iranian Embassy in Tokyo has condemned as “baseless” the allegations leveled against Tehran in a joint statement by the British and Japanese defense ministers, dismissing claims of Iranian support for Russia in the war with Ukraine.

The joint statement, issued in Tokyo on Friday following talks between British Defense Secretary and his Japanese counterpart, highlighted what the two sides described as “deep strategic alignment” in confronting security challenges. Among the points raised was the repeated Western claim that Iran has provided military backing to Russia in its conflict with Ukraine — an accusation Tehran says is politically motivated and categorically false.

In a statement, the Iranian Embassy in Tokyo declared: “The Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran strongly condemns the unfounded allegations raised in the 2025 joint statement of the British and Japanese defense ministers against Iran. Iran continues to categorically reject any claim of involvement in the Russia-Ukraine conflict and calls on both sides to resolve their differences through peaceful means.”

The embassy went on to urge Western governments to reconsider their role in fueling the crisis: “Iran calls on the Western countries that have exacerbated this conflict to end their unlawful interventions and to focus on peace instead of accusing others.”

Tehran has repeatedly denied Western accusations that it has supplied drones or other weapons to Russia for use in Ukraine, describing the claims as part of a broader campaign to deflect attention from NATO’s involvement in the conflict. Iranian officials have instead emphasized the need for diplomacy and political dialogue to end the war.