The US, UK, France, and Germany have implemented new sanctions against Iran for allegedly supplying ballistic missiles to Russia for use in Ukraine. These sanctions include restricting Iran Air’s flights to the UK and Europe and imposing travel bans and asset freezes on Iranian individuals involved in military support for Russia.
During a visit to London, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken revealed that Iranian forces had trained Russian personnel to operate short-range ballistic missiles, which could soon be deployed in Ukraine. Iran has denied these allegations.
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Blinken stated that Russian President Vladimir Putin is increasingly relying on support from Iran and North Korea to sustain his aggression against Ukraine, violating several UN Security Council resolutions. UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy called the sanctions “a significant and dangerous escalation.”
The new missiles are expected to enhance Russia’s capabilities, allowing it to target Ukrainian cities near its borders or areas it already controls while continuing to use longer-range missiles deeper into Ukraine. The UK Foreign Office announced that the US and UK sanctions focus on key figures involved in the ballistic missile and drone supply chains, including Brig Gen Seyed Hamzeh Ghalandari, Iran’s defense ministry director general for international relations.
Sanctions have also been placed on five Russian cargo ships for transporting military supplies from Iran, despite repeated warnings. Additionally, several organizations linked to the production of Iran’s Shahed drones, which Russia has used extensively in attacks on Ukrainian cities, have been sanctioned.
The E3 (UK, France, and Germany) stated that Iran’s missile supply poses a “direct threat to European security,” while Iran dismissed these Western claims as “false and misleading.”
Western sanctions come amid Russia’s continued advances in eastern Ukraine, with Moscow’s forces nearing the crucial transport hub of Pokrovsk. UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has affirmed the UK’s commitment to support Ukraine for as long as necessary.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has criticized the slow pace of weapon deliveries and requested authorization to target deep inside Russia with Western missiles—a request the US has so far resisted. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy also announced their joint visit to Ukraine this week, marking the first such trip in years.
They aim to strengthen the close partnership between the two nations, often referred to as the “special relationship,” and to directly understand and address Ukraine’s needs.
