US concerned by reported Russian missile sales to Iran
WASHINGTON (AFX) - The United States is concerned about reports that Russia has agreed to sell Iran 29 mobile surface-to-air missile systems, a senior State Department official said Friday.
US officials said they were studying the report by Russia's state news agency ITAR-TASS that Moscow would provide Tor M-1 short-range missiles to Tehran in a deal worth more than 700 mln usd.
But the State Department official, who asked not to be named, said: 'Any arms sales to Iran, that's a source of concern. And there are certain US laws which govern our potential reaction to that.'
The official did not elaborate but Nicholas Burns, undersecretary of state for political affairs currently visiting Russia, made it clear in Moscow that Washington was not happy with the deal.
Burns told Echo Moscow radio that he had raised questions about the reported sale with the Russian foreign ministry, which had promised to respond.
US officials said they were studying the report by Russia's state news agency ITAR-TASS that Moscow would provide Tor M-1 short-range missiles to Tehran in a deal worth more than 700 mln usd.
But the State Department official, who asked not to be named, said: 'Any arms sales to Iran, that's a source of concern. And there are certain US laws which govern our potential reaction to that.'
The official did not elaborate but Nicholas Burns, undersecretary of state for political affairs currently visiting Russia, made it clear in Moscow that Washington was not happy with the deal.
Burns told Echo Moscow radio that he had raised questions about the reported sale with the Russian foreign ministry, which had promised to respond.
posted by Marko at 12/02/2005 02:20:00 PM
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