US: "Iran Lies About Supplying Drones to Russia... Additional Sanctions to Follow"

Iran Denies Arms Sales Rumors, Says "No Weapons Provided to War Parties"
US State Department: "Violation of UN Security Council Resolution, Additional Sanctions to Be Imposed"

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] The U.S. government has rebutted the Iranian government’s denial of selling drones to Russia, accusing it of lying and warning of additional sanctions.

On the 17th (local time), White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre stated at a press briefing, "Despite all reports that drones believed to be from Iran attacked downtown Kyiv, Iran continues to lie," and strongly criticized, "Iran is not truthful on this matter and denies providing weapons to Russia for use in Ukraine."

She added, "As warned since July, Iran has been supplying drones to Russia, and there is extensive evidence that Russia has used them against both military personnel and civilians in Ukraine." Earlier, the U.S. government disclosed information in July that Iran was preparing to sell hundreds of attack drones to Russia and planned to conduct joint drone training.

However, Iran continues to deny supplying drones to Russia. The Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly denied the drone sales allegations from the U.S. and Western authorities, stating, "Western news claiming Iran sent drones to Russia is highly politically motivated," and "We have never provided weapons to any party involved in the war."

The U.S. government is reportedly preparing additional sanctions against Iran. At a press conference, State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel said, "Anyone dealing with Iran regarding the flow of weapons to Russia, including unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and ballistic missile development, should exercise caution," and added, "The U.S. will impose additional sanctions and take action against perpetrators."

He further criticized, "The drones transferred from Iran to Russia and used by Russia in Ukraine are among the weapons prohibited under United Nations Security Council Resolution 2231," and stated, "Russia deepening its alliance with Iran should be regarded as a serious threat worldwide."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.