22 February 2016, 18:27 GMT
WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — The United States would block the sale of Russian Su-30 aircraft to Iran under a UN Security Council (UNSCR) resolution that prohibits fighter jet sales, US Department of State Under Secretary for Political Affairs Thomas Shannon said Tuesday during a congressional hearing on Iran.
"The sale of Su-30 fighter aircraft is prohibited under UNSCR 2231 without the approval of the UN Security Council and we would block the approval of any sale of fighter aircraft under the restrictions," Shannon told the US Senate Foreign Affairs Committee.
When pressed, Shannon said the United States would veto any attempt by Russia to receive UN Security Council approval to sell the Su-30 combat aircraft, T-90 tanks or helicopters to Iran.
In February, the White House said the sale of fighter jets to Iran would violate a UN Security Council arms embargo. The nuclear deal reached in July between Iran and the P5+1 — which includes Russia and the United States — upheld the arms ban for five years.
