On Tuesday, the United States, Germany, France, and the United Kingdom unveiled new sanctions against Iran, targeting the country’s aviation sector, in response to the alleged sale of ballistic missiles to Russia. Tehran has denied these claims, calling them “malicious propaganda.”
The U.S., in coordination with its allies, imposed sanctions on six Iranian companies involved in the production of drones and ballistic missiles, which are reportedly being supplied to Russia under a contract signed in late 2023. Additionally, ten senior executives and employees of these companies were sanctioned. The U.S. Treasury also targeted Iran Air, announcing that international partners will take steps to prevent the airline from operating in their countries.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated during a press conference in London that Russia had already received these missiles and was likely to use them in Ukraine in the coming weeks. Blinken added that dozens of Russian soldiers had trained in Iran to operate the Fath-360 ballistic missile, which has a range of 120 kilometers.
In a further step, the U.K. announced it would halt all direct flights to and from Iran as part of its new sanctions. U.K. Transport Secretary Louise Haigh emphasized that these measures are designed to pressure Iran into ceasing its support for Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine.
Germany, France, and the U.K. issued a joint statement condemning Iran’s sale of ballistic missiles to Russia, calling it an escalation in the conflict and a direct threat to European security. The EU also pledged a “strong response” to Iran’s missile transfers to Russia.
In response, Iran’s Foreign Ministry denied the transfer of any weapons to Russia, accusing the West of using “propaganda” to divert attention from its own support of Israel. Iranian officials claim that Western countries are spreading disinformation to justify their involvement in the Gaza conflict.
Iran, which is already subject to some of the most stringent sanctions, may see limited additional economic impact, with experts suggesting that the middle class could bear the brunt of the new measures, rather than the regime’s leadership.
