Wave of sanctions against Iran after the delivery of missiles to Russia, France also preparing to take measures

Un missile iranien, lors de la dernière parade annuelle. MAXPPP – AHMAD HALABISAZ

En réponse à la livraison par Téhéran de missiles balistiques à courte portée à la Russie, les États-Unis ont imposé de nouvelles sanctions contre l’Iran.

The United States imposed new sanctions on Iran on Tuesday in response to Tehran's delivery of short-range ballistic missiles to Russia, as other Western countries, including France, prepare to take similar measures. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he expected the Russian military to begin using the missiles against Ukraine “in the coming weeks”. The weapons will allow Moscow to dedicate its own, longer-range ballistic missiles to strike targets far from the front lines.

Antony Blinken has accused Moscow of sharing technology with Iran in return, particularly in the nuclear field, which could accelerate Tehran's development of an atomic bomb. The United States has identified nine Russian-flagged ships involved in the delivery of weapons from Iran, designating them as “blocked property” under Washington's sanctions regime. The US Treasury also imposed additional sanctions on Iran Air. The Treasury Department said it has imposed sanctions against 10 individuals and nine entities based in Russia and Iran, working with the State Department.

“Immediate” Action

France, Germany and Britain also strongly condemned Tehran's exports and Russia's acquisition of Iranian ballistic missiles. “We will take immediate steps to terminate our bilateral air services agreements with Iran”, the three signatories to the Iran nuclear deal (E3) said in a joint statement. Paris, Berlin and London intend, like Washington, to sanction the airline Iran Air and identify those responsible for Iran's ballistic missile program and the transfer of weapons to Russia. Britain has announced a series of sanctions targeting companies and organisations linked to drone manufacturing in Russia and Iran.

Moscow discusses cooperation

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov denied the delivery of Iranian missiles but confirmed that Russia was cooperating with Iran, especially in the “most sensitive” areas. Iran has delivered Shahed drones used by the Russian military in Ukraine, but has consistently denied supplying ballistic missiles to Moscow. On the social network X, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani said that Iran considered such reports to be “odious propaganda.” intended to cover up Western military support for Israel.

In Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky's chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, called the sanctions a “positive step” but considered them insufficient. “We also need permission to use Western weapons against military targets on Russian territory, the supply of longer-range missiles and the strengthening of our air defense systems,”, he listed on X. Ukraine has said it is considering the direction of its relationship with Iran, with Foreign Ministry spokesman Heorhiy Tykhyi saying all options are on the table, including breaking off diplomatic relations with Tehran.