EU sanctions Iran over alleged missile transfers to Russia

The European Union (EU) has announced sanctions against more than a dozen Iranian individuals and firms, including ​​the country’s deputy defence minister and national airline, over the alleged transfer of missiles and drones to Russia.

The European Council said on Monday that seven individuals and as many entities in total would be subject to an asset freeze and travel ban over their involvement in transferring weapons and equipment to Moscow for use in its war against Ukraine.

Those targeted include Iranian Deputy Defence Minister Seyed Hamzeh Ghalandari, high-ranking members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ (IRGC) Quds Force, and three Iranian airlines, including Iran Air.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen welcomed the sanctions.

“The Iranian regime’s support to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine is unacceptable and must stop,” von der Leyen said in a post on X.

“I therefore welcome the adoption of our sanctions against individuals and entities in response to Iran’s drone and missile transfers to Russia. More is needed.”

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha also welcomed the sanctions, writing on X that those “who support aggression must share responsibility and pay the price”.

Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Esmail Baghaei on Tuesday denied that Tehran had supplied missiles to Russia and condemned the sanctions as contrary to international law.

“Some European countries and the UK have unfortunately claimed without evidence that Iran has militarily intervened in this conflict which is totally refuted,” Baghaei said.

The latest sanctions come after the United States last month said it had intelligence indicating that Iran had supplied Russia with ballistic missiles to use in Ukraine.

Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian at the time denied that Tehran had transferred any weapons to Russia since his administration took power in August, acknowledging it was “possible that a delivery took place in the past”.

EU member countries, apart from Hungary, have provided military and economic support to Ukraine worth some 118 billion euros ($129bn) since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022.