U.S. seeking to make it harder for Iran to sell drones to Russia - Reuters

WASHINGTON, Oct 18 (Reuters) - The United States volition proceed to instrumentality "practical, aggressive" steps to marque it harder for Iran to merchantability drones and missiles to Russia, State Department lawman spokesperson Vedant Patel said connected Tuesday, adding that Washington had a fig of tools to clasp some Moscow and Tehran accountable.

Patel, speaking astatine a regular property briefing, said specified measures could see sanctions and export controls.

"We volition proceed to instrumentality practical, assertive steps to marque these weapons income harder, including sanctions, export power actions against immoderate entities involved," Patel said.

"Russia deepening an confederation with Iran is thing the full satellite - particularly those successful the portion - should presumption arsenic a profound threat."

Ukraine has accused Russia of utilizing Iranian-made Shahed-136 drones successful attacks successful caller weeks. Iran denies supplying them and connected Tuesday the Kremlin besides denied utilizing them.

Reuters reported connected Tuesday that Iran has promised Russia it would proviso them with aboveground to aboveground missiles, successful summation to much drones. work much

The U.S. State Department assessed that Iranian drones were utilized connected Monday successful a greeting unreserved hr onslaught connected the Ukrainian superior Kyiv, a U.S. authoritative said. White House spokesperson Karinne Jean-Pierre besides accused Tehran of lying erstwhile it said Iranian drones were not being utilized by Russia successful Ukraine.

The United States successful September imposed sanctions connected an Iranian institution it accused of coordinating subject flights to transport Iranian drones to Russia and 3 different companies it said were progressive successful the accumulation of Iranian drones. work much

Reporting by Daphne Psaledakis, Humeyra Pamuk and Doina Chiacu, Editing by Rosalba O'Brien

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