Fighter Jet Sale to Iran, US Flick Russia

WASHINGTON - United States (US) said the proposed sale of Russian fighter jets to Iran in violation of a UN arms embargo against Tehran. According to a spokesman for the US State Department, Mark Toner, sales of jet Sukhoi-30 (Su-30) require the approval of the UN Security Council.

"The US will continue to remind it to Russia," Toner said, adding that the six countries negotiating a nuclear deal with Iran should be fully aware of the restrictions. According to the international nuclear agreements, imposed a ban on the purchase of weapons to Iran to five years into the future, as quoted by ABC News, Friday (02/19/2016).

Toner said the aircraft Sukhoi Su-30 type qualify as a "fighter" in the list of conventional weapons in the UN arms embargo. Therefore required the approval of the UN Security Council for the purchase of fighter that is equivalent to the F-15E.

Last week, Iran's Defense Minister, General Hossein Dehghan said Tehran intends to purchase a number of Russian-made fighter aircraft. However, Deghan not disclose when it is done. He only said that Iran would be involved in producing the fighter.

The US itself has also expressed his concerns with the delivery of S-300 missile system, a sophisticated air defense system made in Russia to Iran. It froze the deal before finally revoked by President Vladimir Putin in April. However, in contrast with fighter jets, S-300 is defensive and is not covered in the UN ban.