US to delay weapons deliveries to some European countries due to Iran war, sources say

InternationalMust ReadUS to delay weapons deliveries to some European countries due to Iran war, sources sayBy Reuters -Apr 17, 2026WASHINGTON: US officials have informed some ​European counterparts that some previously contracted weapons deliveries are likely to be delayed as the Iran war ‌continues to draw on weapons stocks, five sources familiar with the matter said. The sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity as the communications were not public, said several European countries will be affected, including in the Baltic region and in Scandinavia. Some of the weapons ​in question were purchased by European countries under the Foreign Military Sales program, or FMS, but have not ​yet been delivered, the sources added. Those deliveries will likely be delayed, US officials told ⁠European officials in bilateral messages in recent days, the sources said. The White House and the State Department referred ​queries to the Pentagon, which did not respond to a request for comment. The delays underline the degree to which the ​war against Iran, which began with U.S.-Israeli air strikes on February 28, has begun to stretch US supplies of some critical weaponry and ammunition. European officials complain the delays are putting them in a difficult position. Under the FMS program, foreign countries purchase US-made weapons with the ​logistical assistance and consent of the U.S. government. Washington has pushed European NATO partners to purchase more U.S.-made materiel ​under President Donald Trump, including through the FMS program, as part of a bid to shift the responsibility for Europe’s conventional defense ‌away ⁠from the US and onto European partners. But such weapons deliveries are often delayed, causing frustration in European capitals, where some officials are increasingly looking at weapons systems made within Europe. US officials say the weapons are needed for the war in the Middle East, and they fault European nations for not helping the US and Israel open the...