John Kirby, the spokesman and coordinator of strategic communications of the White House on Monday local time told reporters in response to questions that he does not confirm the recent reports about the delivery of ballistic missiles from Iran to Russia.
Previously, Vedant Patel, the deputy spokesperson of the State Department, on Monday also did not respond to a question about the alleged reports on Iran but said the US remains concerned about these reports.
Any Iranian missiles to Russia will be a serious escalation of tension with regard to the Ukraine war, Patel said, adding that "since the beginning of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, we have expressed concern about the increase in defense cooperation between Iran and Russia, and we will pay close attention to these relations."
Recently, a British daily also reported that the head of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) William Burns did not confirm Western media reports that Iran had transferred its ballistic missiles to Russia.
The Guardian published a report on Saturday that suggested that Burns while meeting with his British counterpart, Richard Moore in London, did not positively respond to a question raised by the Financial Times reporter on the issue.
Meanwhile, United Nations spokesman Stephane Dujarric also reacted to the alleged reports and said the world body could not confirm the claims Iran had supplied such weapons to Russia
According to IRNA reporter, a journalist asked UN spokesman on Monday local time about the alleged reports and in response Dujarric clarified: We have seen these reports, but we have no way to confirm them.
Iran and its senior officials have repeatedly denied the accusations leveled by the media and some western countries about supplying Russia with short-range ballistic missiles.
Last week, Iran’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations dismissed reports published by CNN and Wall Street Journal alleging that the Islamic Republic had transferred ballistic missiles to Russia.
“Iran’s position vis-à-vis the Ukraine conflict remains unchanged. Iran considers the provision of military assistance to the parties engaged in the conflict—which leads to increased human casualties, destruction of infrastructure, and a distancing from ceasefire negotiations—to be inhumane,” the mission said in a statement.
Separately, Iran’s ambassador to the UN categorically rejected “baseless and misleading” such allegations in identical letters he sent to the UN chief and the Security Council president.
The US, Britain and France and their media outlets have been coming out with such accusations, time and again, without any credible evidence while themselves fueling the flames of war by supplying Ukraine with lethal weapons.
Iran's ambassador to the UN in his letter called it "ridiculous" that the three countries that are directly involved in the Ukraine conflict and have significantly contributed to its escalation through providing advanced weapons, had brazenly made such baseless claims against Iran.
Amir-Saeid Iravani also said that contrary to the claim of the American representative to the UN, it is actually the United States, not Iran, which is the main supporter and promoter of terrorism in the region and the world.
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