The United States, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom have announced sanctions on Iran following accusations that the country supplied short-range ballistic missiles to Russia for use in the war in Ukraine. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that Russia has now received these missiles and will likely use them soon in Ukraine. Iran has denied these allegations, calling the supply of weapons inhumane and denying any involvement in the conflict. Despite Iran’s denial, the governments of France, Germany, and the UK have condemned the transfers and announced new sanctions targeting air transport and Iran Air.
While some experts have questioned the efficacy of additional economic penalties on Iran, the US is expected to announce further sanctions on the country, including measures against Iran Air. Ukrainian officials have expressed support for the sanctions but have also called for authorization to use Western weapons against military targets in Russia and the enhancement of their air defense systems.
The accusations of Iranian missile transfers to Russia could lead to increased pressure from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for Western allies to allow Ukraine to use Western-supplied missiles to target Russian sites. Blinken and Lammy are scheduled for a joint visit to Ukraine to discuss bolstering the country’s defenses in light of these developments. Lammy described the missile transfers as a troubling escalation.
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