ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The White House on Friday said it believed Russia may provide Iran with fighter jets and other military equipment as part of a deepening security cooperation between the two since Moscow began using Iranian drones against Ukraine.
"We believe that Russia might provide Iran unprecedented defense cooperation, including on missiles, electronics, and air defense. We believe that Russia might provide Iran with fighter jets," National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters.
Kirby added that sanctions-hit Iran was seeking to strengthen its military through expanding ties with Russia in exchange for Tehran's supply of drones to Moscow.
"Iran is also seeking to purchase additional military equipment from Russia, including attack helicopters, radars, and combat training aircraft. In total, Iran are seeking billions of dollars' worth of military equipment," Kirby said.
Iran has been accused of supplying Russia with drones for use against Ukraine and has been hit by multiple rounds of sanctions from the United States, United Kingdom, and the European Union. Tehran said the drones it sent to Russia preceded the war in Ukraine, which broke out last February.
"Iran's support for Russia's war has expanded," according to Kirby, who said that Tehran has already supplied Russia with artillery, tank ammunition, and hundreds of drones.
Earlier in February, the US sanctioned the board of directors of an Iranian company it accused of shipping Shahed-series military drones to Russia for use against Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in December said that Russia received 250 Shahed drones from Iran that have been used primarily to attack Ukraine's energy sector.
According to an investigation by the New York Times, Iran appears to be upgrading an Air Force base to prepare for the possible arrival of Russian jets.
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