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iran's supreme leader ayatollah ali khamenei | getty images

on september 7, us media quoted two government sources as saying that us authorities have informed their allies and confirmed that iran has transferred short-range ballistic missiles to russia for use in its war in ukraine.

the us side did not provide any details on how many weapons had been delivered and when they were transferred, but they confirmed the findings of us intelligence agencies, the report said.

the wall street journal first reported the u.s. intelligence community's findings. the u.s. officials who disclosed the intelligence information spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss an issue that has not been disclosed publicly.

the white house declined to confirm the arms transfers but reiterated concerns about iran's deepening support for a war with russia.

for months, the white house has warned iran not to transfer ballistic missiles to russia.

"any transfer of ballistic missiles by iran to russia would represent a dramatic escalation in iranian support for russia's war of aggression in ukraine and result in the killing of additional ukrainian civilians," national security council spokesman sean savett said in a statement.

the statement stressed that "this partnership between iran and russia threatens european security and shows how iran is spreading its destabilizing influence beyond the middle east and around the world."

file photo

the u.s. findings come as moscow tries to repel a sudden ukrainian offensive on russian soil, the report said.

ukraine's offensive, which took the initiative to bring the war to russian territory, resulted in the occupation of about 1,300 square kilometers of territory in the kursk region in southern russia.

it comes as ukrainian president volodymyr zelenskyy is pressuring u.s. and western allies to allow his military to use western-supplied missiles to strike military targets deep inside russia and from where moscow’s air strikes on ukraine began.

iranian officials immediately denied supplying weapons to russia for its war in ukraine, as had previous u.s. intelligence findings.

"iran considers it inhumane to provide military assistance to the parties to the conflict - which would lead to increased casualties, damage to infrastructure and distance from ceasefire negotiations," a statement from iran's un mission said. "therefore, iran not only refrains from participating in such actions itself, but also calls on other countries to stop supplying weapons to the parties to the conflict."

file photo: putin visits iran and is received by khamenei

cia director william burns warned in a joint appearance with british intelligence officials in london on september 7 that growing and "troubling" defense relationships involving russia, iran and north korea threaten western allies in ukraine and the middle east.

other intelligence findings, repeatedly declassified and released by the white house, show that north korea has sent munitions and missiles to russia for use in the ukrainian battlefield, while iran has provided attack drones to moscow and assisted the kremlin in building a drone manufacturing plant.

for months, the white house has been nervous about a possible military cooperation agreement between iran and russia.

the biden administration said in january that u.s. intelligence officials had determined that the russia-iran deal had not yet been completed, but u.s. officials were concerned that negotiations for russia to buy missiles from iran were actively advancing.

the white house said that last september, iran hosted a senior russian defense official and showed him a range of ballistic missile systems available for sale, which heightened u.s. concerns about the russia-iran deal.

the united states and its allies have taken steps aimed at preventing the supply, sale, or transfer of items related to iran and ballistic missiles, including issuing guidance to private companies on iran’s missile procurement practices to ensure they do not inadvertently support iran’s weapons development efforts.

file photo: iran conducts a supersonic missile test

next friday, august 13, us president biden will host new british prime minister keir starmer at the white house for talks. white house press secretary karine jean-pierre said that "continued strong support for ukraine against russian aggression" will be on their agenda.

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