Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs has issued a warning about deepening military cooperation between Russia and Iran, stating that Iranian drone technology has been instrumental in Moscow's war against Ukraine. Speaking at the United Nations General Assembly, Rinkēvičs highlighted this growing alliance as a significant security concern for Europe, whilst announcing that Latvia will contribute military specialists to a US-led international operation in the Strait of Hormuz in response to President Trump's request for European support.

Iran initially supplied drone designs to Russia, which have since been modernised and further developed by Russian forces for use in Ukraine. Documents revealed this week show a Russian-Iranian cooperation roadmap for 2024-2026 covering nuclear, financial, aviation and infrastructure sectors. Whilst Rinkēvičs acknowledged that NATO's eastern flank faces no imminent threat of large-scale invasion—noting that Russia's military capabilities have been significantly degraded—he emphasised that Latvia faces escalating threats from sabotage, cyberattacks and information campaigns. He also urged NATO to accelerate its adaptation to evolving warfare technologies, particularly drones and missiles, warning that increased defence spending alone would not guarantee military readiness.