Western powers sanction Iran over missiles to Russia

LONDON:

Western powers on Tuesday announced 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.

Britain, France and Germany said they would cut aviation agreements with the Islamic republic and sanction its national carrier Iran Air, claiming Tehran had repeatedly defied warnings about the weapons transfers.

"This act is an escalation by both Iran and Russia, and is a direct threat to European security," the so-called E3 powers said in a joint statement.

On a visit to London, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned that the missiles could be used against Ukraine "within weeks".

Dozens of Russian military personnel have trained in Iran using the Fath-360 missile, which has a range of 75 miles (120 kilometres), he added.

"Iran's new president and foreign minister have repeatedly said that they want to restore engagement with Europe," he said.

"They want to receive sanctions relief. Destabilising actions like these will achieve exactly the opposite."

The British government announced soon afterwards that it had already begun "the termination of all direct air services between the UK and Iran".

Washington accused Iran Air of "operating or having operated in the transportation sector of the Russian Federation economy", sanctioning it and 10 individuals and companies involved in the supply.

The move was dismissed In Iran, where foreign ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani said the Western claims were false and a distraction from US backing for Israel in its war against Hamas militants.

"Spreading false and misleading news about the transfer of Iranian weapons to some countries is just an ugly propaganda and lie with the aim of concealing the dimensions of the massive illegal arms support of the United States and some Western countries for the genocide in the Gaza Strip," he added.