The US Department of Defense has not seen any evidence that Iraq is actually going to buy S-400 Triumf air defense systems from Russia, Operation Inherent Resolve Deputy Commander of Air, Combined Joint Forces Land Component Command Brig. Gen. Andrew Croft told reporters, Sputnik International reports.
"I've only seen that in the open press," Croft said on Tuesday. "It's a very expensive complicated system, but I've seen no evidence that that is actually going to happen."
Croft also said the Iraqi authorities have not consulted with the United States about the purchase of the Russian air defense system.
In February, Iraqi Foreign Minister Ibrahim Jaafari told Sputnik that Iraq was negotiating the purchase of S-400 air defense missile systems from Russia, but possible US sanctions could be an obstacle to that. US State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said that the United States had informed governments around the world, including the Iraqi government, of possible consequences under the US Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA).