US: Missile sale could endanger lifting of sanctions

Secretary of State John Kerry is raising objections with Moscow over a plan to sell anti-aircraft missiles to Iran.

The White House says Kerry made the US opposition clear in a phone call to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. The call came as Lavrov argued that a preliminary agreement over Iran’s nuclear program made a 2010 ban on sending missiles to Iran no longer necessary.

White House press secretary Josh Earnest says the move could endanger plans to ultimately lift sanctions on Iran as part of a final nuclear deal. He says unity and coordination with nations like Russia is critical to the success of the negotiations.

The agreement is supposed to be finalized by June 30. There is no firm agreement yet on how or when to lift the international sanctions on Iran.

— AP