The US is pushing Iran to stop selling armed drones to Russia as part of discussions on a broader unwritten understanding between Washington and Tehran to de-escalate tensions, the Financial Times said on Wednesday, citing people briefed on the matter.
Moscow has been using armed drones purchased from Iran in the war in Ukraine, as well as spare parts for the unmanned aircraft, the report said, citing an Iranian official and another person familiar with the talks.
The White House and Iran’s foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.
The news comes as Washington and Iran are trying to ease tensions and revive broader talks over Iran’s nuclear program. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Tuesday that he would welcome any Iranian steps to de-escalate its “growing nuclear threat.”
A UKRAINIAN police officer inspects parts of an Iranian-made Shahed-136 suicide drone at the site of a Russian strike on fuel storage facilities in Kharkiv in October 2022. (credit: REUTERS/VYACHESLAV MADIYEVSKYY)US-Iran negotiations
These discussions have taken place alongside the negotiations on a prisoner exchange deal last week, the newspaper said. Iran allowed four detained US citizens to move into house arrest from Tehran’s Evin prison while a fifth was already under home confinement.
Last week, sources told Reuters that Iran may free five detained US citizens as part of a deal to unfreeze $6 billion in Iranian funds in South Korea.
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