Germany, France and Britain on Tuesday condemned what they said was Iran’s delivery of ballistic missiles to Russia for use in the Ukraine war and declared new sanctions targeting air transport.
“We will be taking immediate steps to cancel bilateral air services agreements with Iran,” they said in a joint statement, adding that they would also “work toward imposing sanctions on Iran Air.”
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken had said earlier, on a visit to London, that Russia had received shipments of the ballistic missiles and “will likely use them within weeks in Ukraine.”
London, Paris and Berlin said that “we now have confirmation that Iran has made these transfers.”
“This is a further escalation of Iran’s military support to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and will see Iranian missiles reaching European soil, increasing the suffering of the Ukrainian people,” they said.
“This act is an escalation by both Iran and Russia, and is a direct threat to European security.”
The three countries said they “will be taking immediate steps to cancel bilateral air services agreements with Iran.”
“In addition, we will pursue the designations of significant entities and individuals involved with Iran’s ballistic missile program and the transfer of ballistic missiles and other weapons to Russia.
“We will also work toward imposing sanctions on Iran Air,” they said, echoing a step also taken by Washington.
Blinken said Washington had privately warned Iran that providing ballistic missiles to Russia would be “a dramatic escalation” and said new sanctions would be imposed later on Tuesday.
The US later identified nine Russian-flagged vessels it said were involved in the delivery of weapons from Iran to Russia, designating them as “blocked property” under Washington’s sanctions regime, according to the Treasury Department’s website.
It also imposed additional measures on previously sanctioned airline Iran Air, the department said in a statement.
Blinken said Iran has trained dozens of Russian military personnel to use its Fath-360 close-range ballistic missile system, which has a maximum range of 75 miles (121 km).
The UK also said on Tuesday it had started terminating “all direct air services between the UK and Iran” as part of the new sanctions.
London said it was acting alongside international partners to “cancel its bilateral air services arrangements with Iran,” which would “restrict Iran Air’s ability to fly in to the UK.”
Iran Air operates direct flights between London and Tehran three days a week, according to the schedule listed on its website.
The UK said on Tuesday it has started terminating “all direct air services between the UK and Iran” as part of new sanctions on Tehran for supplying Russia with missiles to use in Ukraine.
London said it was acting alongside international partners to “cancel its bilateral air services arrangements with Iran”, which would “restrict Iran Air’s ability to fly in to the UK”.
Iran Air operates direct flights between London and Tehran three days a week, according to the schedule listed on its website.
The UK move came as Western powers unveiled fresh sanctions on Iran for supplying Russia with short-range missiles for imminent use against Ukraine, calling it a dangerous escalation of the conflict that threatened European security.
The foreign ministry in London said in a statement shortly after the curbs were announced that they followed “repeated warnings” to Tehran not to transfer the deadly weapons to Russia.
“We will continue to use every lever at our disposal to put pressure on Iran to end its support for (Russian President Vladimir) Putin’s illegal invasion,” UK Transport Secretary Louise Haigh said. “(This) is why we have begun the termination of all direct air services between the UK and Iran.”
The UK said it was also joining the United States in sanctioning “a number of key individuals and organisations for their role in facilitating Iran’s military support to Russia”. It noted they included those involved in ballistic missile and drone supply chains.Several Russian organisations were also sanctioned for “their intent to use the weapons systems” against Ukraine, as well as five Russian cargo ships involved in transporting military supplies from Iran to Russia.