UK Defence Minister John Healey suggested on Thursday that Russia was influencing Iran's use of drone attacks in its war with the United States and Israel.

Healey said Russian President Vladimir Putin's "hidden hand" may be behind some of the tactics deployed by Tehran in the Middle East conflict, which started when the United States and Israel struck Iran on 28 February.

He told reporters that officials were analysing an Iranian-made drone that hit the UK's Akrotiri air force base in Cyprus on 1 March "for any evidence of Russian or any other foreign components and parts".