US and allies impose more sanctions on Iran over ‘missile supply’ to Russia

The US, Britain, France and Germany have imposed new sanctions on Iran for allegedly supplying ballistic missiles to Russia for use in its war against Ukraine. Announcing the sanctions, the British Foreign Office said that they target key Iranian individuals, including Brigadier General Seyed Hamzeh Ghalandari, reported BBC News.

The report said that he is the director general for international relations at Iran’s defence ministry with links to its exports of defence products to its partners. The sanctions also include restrictions on Iran Air’s flights to Europe, along with travel bans and asset freezes on those involved.

“We will continue to use every lever at our disposal to put pressure on Iran to end its support for [Russian President Vladimir] Putin’s illegal invasion,” said UK Transport Secretary Louise Haigh.

Iran’s missiles are expected to enhance Russia’s capability to strike Ukrainian cities, as they free up longer-range missiles for deeper targets. The foreign office in London claimed that the missiles pose a “direct threat to European security,” a concern echoed by France and Germany.

READ: Tehran did not deliver missiles to Russia, Foreign Minister says

Moreover, the US sanctioned five Russian cargo ships involved in transporting military supplies from Iran, despite repeated warnings. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, visiting London, said that Russian forces had been trained in Iran to use short-range ballistic missiles, which could be deployed in Ukraine within weeks. He warned that this marked a “significant and dangerous escalation.”

The British defense secretary says his country would supply more weapons to Ukraine by the end of the year.

British Foreign Office: “We have summoned Iran's chargé d'affaires for ‘reported supply of missiles to Russia’". (an unconfirmed report, Iran has officially dismissed)… pic.twitter.com/rhbxqcEATC

— Nasser Kanaani (@IRIMFA_SPOX) September 12, 2024

Tehran denied the accusations, calling the Western claims “false and misleading,” and vowed to retaliate. Iran also accused the West of using these claims to divert attention from their own arms supplies to Israel, which has been waging a brutal genocide against the Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank for almost a year.

“This action by the three European countries is the continuation of the West’s hostile policy and economic terrorism against the people of Iran, and it will face a proportionate response by Iran,” Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani said on the ministry’s Telegram page. Kanaani also took to X to deny claims made by the UK foreign office that it summoned Iran’s Chargé d’Affaires for “reported supply of missiles to Russia”.

Yesterday, highlighting the “hypocrisy”, he asked on the social media platform, “How do the exporters of banned weapons, missiles and 2,000-pound bombs to the Zionist regime, which attacks urban areas, homes, and Palestinian refugee camps, give themselves the right to sanction Iran with the absurd and baseless claim of selling missiles?”

READ: Ukraine summons Iran diplomat over ‘concern’ of ballistic missile transfer to Russia