Washington DC, June 25: Acting US defence secretary Mark Esper is prepared to update the European allies on heightened tensions between Iran and the United States, as he kicks off his inaugural visit to NATO headquarters as Pentagon chief this week, according to a senior US official.
According to Reuters news reports, his first-week visit coincides with an earlier dated NATO defence ministerial conference, which will focus over the other pre-planned discussions, including approaching end to the 1987 international nuclear pact – International Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty between Iran and European allies.
But acting assistance defence secretary Kathryn Wheelbarger said Pentagon officials would be raising the Iranian issue during one of the NATO conferences, either on Wednesday or Thursday.
“We are prepared to provide an update to the (NATO) alliance,” Wheelbarger said, briefing reporters ahead of the trip.
“It’s very important to the (Defense) Department and the U.S. government as a whole that we make sure our allies are as cognizant, and that we are as transparent on this issue, as possible.”
Iran has on Saturday said it would firmly retaliate to any United States threats against the nation, as per Tasnim news agency reports, in the midst of heightening tension between the two nations over the row of shooting down of an American spy drone by Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in Hozmurgan province. Tehran has pledged to defend its borders.
Iran has called the US’ unmanned plane “provocative”, as well as, “very dangerous” on Thursday as it tried to justify the downing of an American spy drone by IRGC, which the Pentagon has described as an “unprovoked attack” in the international airspace.
US President Donald Trump had initially said Tehran had “made a very big mistake”, but later he stated the downing of a US spy drone was not “intentional”, in a turnaround in the midst of rising fears of heightening frictions between the two nations could develop an open confrontation.
Also read:
- US FAA prohibits airlines from flying over Iran-controlled airspace
- Tehran accuses US of ‘provocation’ as President Trump downplays spy drone downing
-
Iran to retaliate to any US threat amidst rising tensions: Foreign Ministry