U.S. Protests Blacklisted Iranian General's Visit To Moscow

Qassem Soleimani (file photo)

The United States says it will raise the issue at the United Nations of a recent visit to Moscow by a senior Iranian general who is targeted by a UN travel ban.

U.S. State Department spokesman Mark Toner confirmed on August 12 that General Qassem Soleimani had visited Russia in late July.

Toner said Washington had already spoken with senior Russian Foreign Ministry officials about Moscow's violation of UN sanctions by hosting Soleimani's visit.

Soleimani, the commander of foreign operations for Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, is one of several Iranian officials targeted by a 2007 UN travel ban because of their alleged links to Iran's nuclear or ballistic-missile programs.

Despite a July 14 deal by Iran and world powers on its nuclear program, the sanctions against Soleimani remain in effect.

Soleimani has also reportedly been sighted visiting Iranian-backed Shi'ite militia forces in Iraq.

Based on reporting by AFP, Reuters, and AP