WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States demanded on Monday that the Russian government immediately stop firms from selling antitank missiles, night vision goggles and other equipment to Iraq (news - web sites), calling the practice "disturbing."
"The United States has credible evidence that Russian companies have provided assistance and prohibited hardware to the Iraqi regime, things such as night vision goggles, GPS jammers and antitank guided missiles," White House spokesman Ari Fleischer (news - web sites) told reporters.
"These actions are disturbing and we have made our concerns clear to the Russian government. We've asked the Russian government that any such ongoing assistance cease immediately," Fleischer said.
He said the United Nations (news - web sites) has imposed sanctions on "such trade" with Iraq.
In Moscow, Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov denied Russia had supplied Iraq with any military equipment in breach of U.N. sanctions.
"Russia rigorously observes all its international obligations and has not supplied Iraq with any equipment, including military, in breach of the sanctions regime," Ivanov told reporters.
Russia, a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council with veto rights, sided with other U.N. heavyweights France and China in opposing the U.S.-led war to topple Iraqi President Saddam Hussein (news - web sites).