For the first time, Iran has transferred long-range surface-to-surface missiles to militias in Iraq, defying US President Donald Trump ahead of direct US-Tehran talks, the UK-based The Times reported on Wednesday.

The move significantly bolsters Tehran’s influence in the region as the missiles are capable of reaching Europe.

The report contradicts a Reuters report earlier this week that the Iranian-backed militias in Iraq are considering disarming due to pressure from the Trump administration. A source told The Times that these reports are false. �The efforts seen in the last 48 hours to create a picture that the militias are disarming is a ruse,� he said.

�Iran has recently transferred missiles to Shia militias in Iraq, including new models with longer range, which have not been given in the past to those militias,” a regional intelligence source confirmed to the Times. “It�s a desperate move by the Iranians, risking the stability of Iraq,�

The report continued by saying that �the weapons were transferred last week, according to regional intelligence involved in monitoring the nearly 1,000-mile border between the countries. It was the first time long-range surface-to-surface missiles had been in the possession of an Iran-allied militia in Iraq. Sources said the delivery was arranged by the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Air Force.�

�Sources said that two other types of missiles, the Quds 351 cruise and Jamal 69 ballistic missiles, were also smuggled into Iraq last week. They had a much shorter range than the new surface-to-surface missiles, which could be positioned to target as far as Europe.�

(YWN Israel Desk � Jerusalem)