EU foreign ministers have adopted sanctions against Iran for supplying Russia with ballistic missiles for use in Ukraine, diplomats told dpa.
EU sanctions target companies and individuals involved in Iran’s ballistic missile program and the delivery of these and other weapons to Russia.
The European Union has previously warned Iran several times not to pass ballistic missiles to Moscow and considers that step a violation of a new taboo.
Iran has strongly denied supplying Russia with weapons. According to Tehran, the country has strategic cooperation with Moscow, although this is not related to the war in Ukraine. Tehran claims that providing military aid to warring parties is inhumane.
One of the targets is the Iranian state airline Iran Air. Britain, Germany and France have already announced that they are working on sanctions against the company.
EU sanctions, including asset freezes in the bloc and travel bans on individuals, will come into force after publication in the EU’s Official Journal, the register of EU law.
EU foreign ministers are meeting to discuss the escalating conflict in the Middle East and the EU’s efforts to support Ukraine against a Russian invasion, despite Hungarian resistance.
The Union also plans to hit Russian actors and organizations accused of destabilizing Moldova’s democracy and security with new sanctions ahead of a key referendum on EU membership later this month.
The role of Iran and its regional allies Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza will be in the spotlight at a meeting of foreign ministers in Luxembourg.
The EU is struggling to find an answer that could help prevent the conflict from turning into a spiraling regional war in the Middle East.
The EU’s top diplomat, Josep Borrell, expressed frustration over the bloc’s disagreement over the increasingly tense conflict in the Middle East, particularly in relation to criticism of Israel.
It is taking too long to be able to say some things that are quite evident, he said upon arrival.
“It is quite obvious that we should be against Israeli attacks on UNIFIL, especially because our soldiers are there,” he said, referring to a joint EU statement on recent attacks on the UN peacekeeping mission in southern Lebanon, released ahead of the gathering.
