Iran is one of the few countries in the world that has maintained trade links to Russia (Image: Getty)

Iran has been fuelling World War 3 fears over an alleged plan to provide Russia with “hundreds of ballistic missiles.”

The United States raised the alarm with its European allies, warning Tehran could proceed with the delivery in a bid to strengthen its alliance with Moscow, according to the Kyiv Post.

US State Department spokesman Vedant Patel insisted Washington is ready to unleash a “severe” response against Iran in the event of the deployment of military supplies to Russia.

Mr Patel said: “We are prepared to deliver a swift and severe response if Iran were to move forward with the transfer of ballistic missiles, which would, in our view, represent a dramatic escalation in Iran’s support for Russia‘s war of aggression against Ukraine.”

Iran is one of a handful of countries in the world still doing business with Moscow despite the international sanctions levelled against it since the start of the invasion in February 2022.

Severe repercussions if its missiles reached Russia

Patel said Iran can expect severe repercussions if its missiles reached Russia (Image: Getty)

Russia has been relying on Tehran, as well as its allies in North Korea, to source military equipment to keep pursuing Vladimir Putin‘s goals in Ukraine.

The US has issued a series of sanctions on suppliers of Iranian drones to Russia while Tehran maintains its unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have not been handed out to Moscow.

Mr Patel continued: “Iranian officials also continue to deny providing any UAVs to Russia when evidence is plain for the world to see that Russia has used these UAVs in relentless attacks against the civilian population in Ukraine, against civilian infrastructure.”

Iran’s alleged plot to resupply Russia with new ballistic missiles comes as the US and Israel remain on tenterhooks over a potential retaliatory strike from Tehran.

The Islamic Republic vowed to avenge the death of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh, who was killed last month at his home in the Iranian capital.

Iran pledged to avenge the death of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh (Image: Getty)

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According to the IRNA news agency, Iranian President Mahmoud Pezeshkian, whose inauguration Haniyeh had just attended before his death, said his country considered retaliation a “right”.

In a call with Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Pezeshkian argued punitive action is “a right of nations and a solution for stopping crimes and aggression.”

He hit out at Western nations over their silence about “unprecedented inhumane crime” in Gaza and slammed Israel over a campaign of “irresponsible” attacks on targets across the Middle East.

Tel Aviv has neither confirmed nor denied any involvement in the death of Haniyeh but had previously vowed to kill him and all other Hamas leaders in response to the October 7 attacks.