US, UK Concerned Russia Sharing Nuclear Secrets With Iran - Bloomberg
Date
9/15/2024 8:06:28 PM
(MENAFN- UkrinForm) The United States and the United Kingdom are increasingly concerned that Russia is sharing with Iran secret information and technology that could bring it closer to being able to build nuclear weapons, in exchange for Tehran providing Moscow with ballistic missiles for its war in Ukraine.
That is according to Bloomberg , referring to Western officials familiar with the matter, Ukrinform reports.
The Kremlin has increased its cooperation with Iran over its ambitions to obtain atomic weapons in recent months.
The development was discussed by U.S. and UK officials in Washington this week, as British Prime Minister Keir Starmer met President Joe Biden at the White House for a strategic meeting on foreign policy. They described it as worrying.
Biden's administration remains deeply concerned with Iran's nuclear activities, according to a spokesperson for the White House's National Security Council. Biden has made it clear that the U.S. is ready to use all elements of national power to prevent any nuclear escalation by Iran, the spokesperson said on Saturday.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken suggested during a recent visit to London that Russia was exchanging nuclear technology with Tehran, saying Moscow had received a shipment of Iran's Fath-360 ballistic missiles.
"For its part, Russia is sharing technology that Iran seeks - this is a two-way street - including on nuclear issues, as well as some space information," Blinken said.
Blinken and UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy agreed during talks in London that "Iran's nuclear program had never been more advanced," the US State Department said in a joint statement on Saturday.
Iran insists it is not looking to produce nuclear weapons, although there's concern it could build them in response to escalating tensions with Israel.
Photo: Getty Images
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