Iran slams call for UN probe into alleged use of its drones

Iran has strongly condemned a call by France, Germany and the United Kingdom for the United Nations to investigate the accusations that Russia has used Iranian-origin drones to attack Ukraine, according to its foreign ministry. Nasser Kanaani, spokesman for Iran's foreign ministry, said on Saturday that the call by the so-called E-3 group of countries was "false and baseless" and that it was "strongly rejected and condemned". Ukraine says Russia has used Iranian-made Shahed-136 attack drones that cruise towards their target and explode on impact. "The government of the Islamic Republic of Iran, in its pursuit to protect its national interest and to secure the rights of the noble Iranian people, reserves the right to respond to any irresponsible action," the Iranian foreign ministry website quoted Kanaani as saying. "It will not hesitate to defend the interests of the Iranian people," he said, without elaborating.