US would block Russian arms sales to Iran: official

By Esra Kaymak Avci

WASHINGTON

The U.S. would prevent any sale of Russian SU-30 aircraft to Iran under a U.N. resolution that blocks fighter jet sales to Tehran, a senior Obama administration official said Tuesday.

Testifying before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Thomas Shannon, assistant secretary for political affairs, told Congress that such a sale would not be possible without the approval of the UN governing body.

"The sale of Su-30 fighter aircraft is prohibited under UNSCR 2231 without the approval of the U.N. Security Council and we would block the approval of any sale of fighter aircraft under the restrictions," Shannon said.

However, he added that the U.S. has a commitment from Moscow for working to prohibit the transfer of technologies to Iran’s ballistic program.

The Russians are complying with their commitment not to transfer these kinds of technology or to facilitate any transfer, he said.

The Russian twin engine Sukhoi-30 multi-role fighter jets are comparable to the American F-15E fighter bombers -- all weather fighters with a "proven design that is undefeated in air-to-air combat," according to Boeing, the company that manufactures the aircraft.

In July, Iran signed a deal with word leaders that placed severe restrictions on Tehran’s nuclear program in exchange for the lifting of Western sanctions.

The agreement aims to keep the arms ban in place for up to five years, in addition to preventing the Iran from obtaining ballistic missiles.

A possible Russian sale, could amount to another violation of the U.N. resolution.

Resolution 2231 -- adopted one week after the Iran nuclear deal was signed -- endorses the agreement and has prohibitions that continue to be used to disrupt Iran's missile related proliferation and procurement activities.

The resolution demands Iran not undertake ballistic missile activity, including test launches capable of delivering a nuclear warheads.