(Washington) Iran and Russia “are stepping up their unprecedented military cooperation,” a White House spokesman said Monday, citing in particular Moscow’s desire to acquire more Iranian drones. sophisticated.
“We are using the tools at our disposal to expose and disrupt these activities and we stand ready to do more,” said John Kirby, spokesman for the National Security Council.
He added that the United States would announce new sanctions “in the coming days” against entities or persons involved in these transactions between the two countries.
“It is a complete military partnership which is harmful for Ukraine, for the Middle East and for the international community”, he denounced during an interview with journalists.
“Contacts continue between Iran and Russia on the sale of more sophisticated armaments, in particular more sophisticated drones”, specified the spokesman, by estimating that Iran had since August delivered to Russia more than 400 drones, mainly of the Shahed type.
The United States, on the other hand, has not “detected any movement” concerning the possible delivery to the Russian army of Iranian ballistic missiles.
In the other direction, that is to say concerning the military aid going from Russia to Iran, Washington assures that Tehran, in addition to Russian combat planes, “is seeking to buy other military equipment including attack helicopters, radars and the Yak-130 combat training aircraft,” said John Kirby.
“Iran is seeking, in total, to acquire military equipment worth several billion dollars from Russia,” he added.
The US government intends to announce new measures soon “to help governments and companies better understand the risks posed by the Iranian drone program and Iran’s illegal practices in obtaining the necessary components”, explained John Kirby.
The goal, he said, is to encourage the implementation of measures so that these same governments and companies do not “inadvertently” contribute to the manufacture of Iranian drones.