U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken confirmed Tuesday that Iran has sent short-range ballistic missiles (SRBMs) to Russia, drawing widespread condemnation from the international community for Tehran’s involvement in supporting Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Blinken stated that these SRBM shipments are likely to be used by Russian forces on the battlefield within weeks. Iranian officials continue to deny these allegations.
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Blinken, alongside UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy, emphasized that the U.S. and UK are in agreement on the need to address Iran’s growing influence in Ukraine and the Middle East. France, Germany, and the UK collectively condemned Iran’s missile deliveries and are taking measures, including canceling bilateral air services with Iran, sanctioning Iran Air, and targeting individuals and organizations involved in Iran’s ballistic missile program and arms transfers to Russia.
Ukraine’s intelligence sources indicated that over 200 Fateh-360 SRBMs were delivered from Iran to Russia through a Caspian Sea port on September 4. Analysts predict that these Iranian-supplied SRBMs will be used to target Ukrainian infrastructure in the coming months, relieving pressure on Russia’s domestic missile production capabilities.
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In response, the United States and European nations imposed sanctions on Iran and Russia on September 10. The U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned 10 individuals and six entities involved in facilitating Iran’s delivery of weapons to Russia. Key figures, such as Rouhollah Katebi, a liaison for the Iranian defense ministry, and Ali Jafar Abadi, commander of the IRGC Aerospace Force’s Salam Farsi Space Command, were among those sanctioned.
Entities such as Iran Air and the IRGC-affiliated Azadegan Transportation Company were also targeted for their role in supporting Russia’s military efforts.
The United Kingdom, France, and Germany (E3) announced they would cancel bilateral air services agreements with Iran and imposed additional sanctions, further limiting Iran Air’s ability to operate in Europe. These moves are part of a broader effort by the international community to curb Iran’s influence and support for Russia’s military operations in Ukraine.
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