Kirby also indicated in an interview with “Sky News Arabia” that progress in Iran’s missile capacity is a threat to the region, adding that Tehran threatens its neighbors and partners of the United States by developing its nuclear program.
Kirby said: “We see that Iran’s continued development of its nuclear program is a threat to its neighbors and partners in the region, that its behavior is becoming increasingly aggressive and it continues to enhance its capabilities to destabilize the region.”
“We must continue to improve our defense capabilities in the region, our partners’ defense capabilities, and our ability to monitor threats posed by Iran,” he added.
Kirby expressed support for the State Department’s efforts to return to the nuclear agreement with Iran, but noted that the development that Iran had achieved in its nuclear program shortened the time period for building nuclear weapons.
The US official pointed out that international pressure must continue to be exercised on Iran so that it assumes its responsibilities, adding that the US Department of Defense supports all available means to make Iran return to the nuclear agreement.
When asked about the crisis in Ukraine, Kirby said that Russian President Vladimir Putin is still massing his forces on the Ukrainian border and the Russian incursion could happen at any time.
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