UK, Germany and France to sanction Iran for supplying ballistic missiles to Russia
British, German and French foreign ministers have issued a joint statement condemning Iran’s decision to supply ballistic missiles to Russia.
Source: European Pravda, citing a joint statement by the foreign ministers of the UK, Germany and France
Details: The foreign ministers called Iran’s export and Russia’s procurement of Iranian ballistic missiles a "further escalation of Iran’s military support to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine".
"This act is an escalation by both Iran and Russia, and is a direct threat to European security," they wrote.
UK’s Foreign Secretary David Lammy, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and French Foreign Minister Stéphane Séjourné said that they will take "immediate steps to cancel bilateral air services agreements with Iran" and sanction entities and individuals involved with Iran’s ballistic missile programme and the transfer of ballistic missiles and other weapons to Russia.
"We will also work towards imposing sanctions on Iran Air," they said.
Background:
- Though Iran supplies Russia with attack drones, it has until recently refrained from giving Russia more powerful weapons, perhaps fearing the warnings from the US and Europe that this would trigger a series of sanctions.
- On 9 September, the European Union said that according to information from allies, Iran has given ballistic missiles for Russia to deploy in strikes against Ukraine.
- On 10 September, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken confirmed that Iran will suffer new sanctions after having supplied ballistic missiles for Russia to deploy in strikes on Ukraine.
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