Iran may be 'contributing to widespread war crimes' in Ukraine by providing drones to Russia: White House
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy raised concerns in speech to Congress
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said Monday that Iran "could potentially be contributing to widespread war crimes" in Ukraine by supplying its drones to Russia.
Sullivan made the remark during President Biden’s trip to Mexico City and just weeks after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy raised the issue during his speech to Congress in Washington, D.C.
"Their weapons are being used to kill civilians in Ukraine and to try to plunge cities into cold and darkness which, from our point of view, puts Iran in a place where it could potentially be contributing to widespread war crimes," Sullivan said, according to Reuters.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}As part of the U.S. response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the government has imposed sanctions on companies and individuals accused of producing or transferring the drones from Iran to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s military, Reuters added.
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White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan speaks at a press briefing at the White House in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 20, 2022. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File)
In his speech to Congress in late December, Zelenskyy said "When Russia cannot reach our cities by its artillery, it tries to destroy them with missile attacks. More than that, Russia found an ally in its genocidal policy — Iran.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Iranian deadly drones, sent to Russia in hundreds, became a threat to our critical infrastructure," he continued. "That is how one terrorist has found the other. It is just a matter of time — when they will strike against your other allies, if we do not stop them now.
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Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukraine's president, arrives to speak during a joint meeting of Congress at the U.S. Capitol on Dec. 21, 2022. (Nathan Howard/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
The White House first disclosed Tehran’s plans to "gift" Russia hundreds of Shahed-136 drones earlier in 2022, and by August 1,000 Iranian-supplied drones had been shipped to Russia.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addresses a joint meeting of Congress on Capitol Hill in Washington on Dec. 21, 2022. (AP/Carolyn Kaster)
Iran continues to deny the allegations.
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"Mr. Zelenskyy had better know that Iran’s strategic patience over such unfounded accusations is not endless," Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani said in a threatening message posted to the ministry’s website a day after Zelensky’s speech.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Fox News’ Caitlin McFall contributed to this report.