JAKARTA - Iran may contribute to war crimes in Ukraine by providing drones to Russia, White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said Monday.
"Their weapons are being used to kill civilians in Ukraine, trying to plunge the city into a cold and dark environment that, from our perspective, places Iran in a place that has the potential to contribute to widespread war crimes," Sullivan told reporters during a trip accompanying President Joe Biden to Mexico, reported Reuters January 10.
Separately, in a speech to the US Congress last December, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said, "When Russia cannot reach cities with its artillery, they try to destroy them with missile strikes. What's more, Russia has found an ally in its genocidal policy - Iran. "
"Iran's lethal drones, which were delivered to Russia in their hundreds, pose a threat to our critical infrastructure. That's how one terrorist finds another. It's only a matter of time – when will they attack your other allies, if we don't stop them now," he said at that time, quoting Foxnews.
The White House first disclosed Tehran's plans to "gift" hundreds of Shahed-136 drones to Russia in early 2022, and by August 1.000 Iranian-supplied drones had been delivered to Russia.
Separately, Iran continues to deny the accusations.
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"President Zelensky should know that Iran's strategic patience with such baseless accusations is not endless," Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani said in a warning message uploaded to the ministry's website a day after Zelensky's speech.
The United States has imposed sanctions on companies and individuals accused of producing or transferring Iranian drones used by Russia to attack civilian infrastructure in Ukraine.
The White House said last week the United States was also considering ways to target Iran's drone production through sanctions and export controls.
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