U.S. Gears Up for Showdown With Russia Over Iran Missile Tests

freebeacon.com

The United States is preparing for a diplomatic showdown with Russia as it prepares to release an official report accusing Iran of breaching international accords prohibiting the test firing of ballistic missiles, according to Obama administration officials familiar with the situation.

The United States has been pressuring partner nations on the U.N. Security Council to publicly chastise Iran for a series of ballistic missile tests that the Obama administration claims violate international accords.

Russia broke ranks with the United States this week by siding with Iran, which claims that the tests do not violate the recently-implemented nuclear agreement.

Iran and its allies argue that the U.N. resolutions governing the nuclear deal only suggest that the Islamic Republic abstain from testing ballistic missiles, a claim the United States has publicly opposed in recent days.

One U.S. official familiar with discussions surrounding the issue told the Washington Free Beacon on Tuesday that the administration is now gearing up for a diplomatic battle with Russia at the U.N.