The United States, along with the United Kingdom, France, and Germany, has announced sanctions against Iran for allegedly supplying short-range ballistic missiles to Russia for use in the war in Ukraine. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken accused Iran of enabling Russia to use more of its arsenal against Ukraine by providing these missiles. Iran has denied these claims, calling the accusations “inhumane.” Despite Iran’s denials, the US is set to impose further sanctions on Iran, including measures against Iran Air.
France, Germany, and the UK have also condemned the Iranian missile transfers to Russia and announced new sanctions targeting air transport. The European countries will cancel bilateral air services agreements with Iran and work towards imposing sanctions on Iran Air. However, Ukrainian top presidential official Andriy Yermak has stated that more measures are needed, including the authorization to use Western weapons against military targets in Russia.
The accusations against Iran come as Blinken and British Foreign Secretary David Lammy prepare to visit Ukraine to discuss bolstering the country’s defenses. The allegations could lead to increased pressure from Ukraine to use Western-supplied missiles against Russia. Lammy described the Iranian missile transfers as a troubling escalation in the conflict. The sanctions against Iran and Russia aim to address the ongoing crisis in Ukraine and prevent further escalation of the conflict.
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