The United States is verifying controversial media claims about a reported meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian commander of the Quds Force Qasem Soleimani, US Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power said Friday.

The United States is verifying controversial media claims about a reported meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian commander of the Quds Force Qasem Soleimani, US Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power said Friday.

UNITED NATIONS (Sputnik) — On Thursday, US television channel Fox News reported that Soleimani, subject to international sanctions, flew to Moscow on July 24 for a two-day visit to meet with President Putin and Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu.

"[Soleimani] is a subject of the UN travel ban, and this travel ban requires all states to prohibit Soleimani from traveling to their nation. The only exception to that Iran sanctions committee brings the exemption. If the exemption was granted we would know."

The media reports about the reported visit are "very concerning," and the United States is still tracking down the facts, the ambassador stated.

The Kremlin has denied the claims, stressing that the Iranian general would have violated UN travel restrictions by traveling to Russia.

By Sputnik