Western Allies Impose Fresh Restrictions on Iran Amid Over Missile Support for Russia’s War Effort
The US, UK, France, and Germany have unveiled new sanctions against Iran in response to its alleged supply of ballistic missiles to Russia, intended for use in Ukraine. The measures include travel bans, officials asset freezed, and restrictions on Air’s flights to the UK and Europe.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, visiting London, accused Iran of training Russian personnel to operate short-range ballistic missiles. Blinken warned that these missiles could soon be used against Ukrainian forces. Despite their repeated denials, the US has shared intelligence indicating that Russian troops are preparing to deploy the Fath-360 missile system, which has a range of 75 miles (120 km).
During a joint press conference with UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy, Blinken denounced Russian President Vladimir Putin’s increasing dependence on Iranian and North Korean support for the war in Ukraine, calling it a breach of multiple UN Security Council resolutions. Lammy described the sanctions as a “significant and dangerous escalation.”
The new sanctions also target several key figures involved in Iran’s missile and drone supply chains, including Brigadier General Seyed Hamzeh Ghalandari, and five Russian cargo ships implicated in transporting military supplies from Iran. Additionally, several organizations linked to Iran’s Shahed drones, used by Russia in attacks on Ukrainian cities, have been sanctioned.
In response, they dismissed the Western claims as “false and misleading.”
The sanctions come amid ongoing Russian advances in eastern Ukraine, with Moscow’s forces nearing the crucial transport hub of Pokrovsk. UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer reaffirmed the UK’s commitment to supporting Ukraine, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky criticized the slow pace of Western weapons deliveries and requested permission to strike targets deep inside Russia—a request the US has yet to grant.
Blinken and Lammy are set to visit Ukraine this week, marking the first such trip in years. Their goal is to engage directly with Ukrainian leaders and assess how the West can better support Ukraine’s defense efforts.
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