EU Imposes New Sanctions on Iran for Supplying Drones, Missiles to Russia
The European Union has imposed sanctions on Iranian officials and three Iranian airlines for supplying missiles and drones to Russia. In total, the sanctions affect seven individuals and seven organisations, according to an official statement by the EU Council.
In particular, EU foreign ministers agreed on sanctions against Iran Air, Mahan Air, Saha Air, two procurement companies, the country's deputy defence minister, and senior officials of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard.
These individuals and organisations ‘are responsible for the development and transfer of UAVs, missiles and related technologies to Russia in support of its aggressive war against Ukraine, as well as supplies to armed groups and organisations that are destroying peace and security in the Middle East and the Red Sea region,’ the EU Council said in a statement.
Iran has denied transferring ballistic missiles to Russia, despite statements by the US and European governments and sanctions imposed on Tehran.
In September, the United States imposed sanctions on Iran, including Iran Air, the main Iranian airline, for supplying ballistic missiles to Russia. At the same time, the United Kingdom, France and Germany restricted Iran Air's activities on their territory.
Iran and Russia signed a contract to supply hundreds of missiles at the end of 2023, the US government reports. Russia received the first delivery of short-range ballistic missiles from Iran in September 2024, the US Treasury Department said in a statement. Prior to that, the report says, in the summer of 2024, the Russian military underwent training in Iran.
‘Iran has decided to intensify its involvement in Russia's illegal war,’ US Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemi said last month.
As The Gaze previously reported, the UK and the US imposed new sanctions on Iran and Russia after the Iranian regime transferred ballistic missiles to Russia.
However, the Iranian Foreign Ministry told European ambassadors that the country did not supply ballistic missiles to Russia.