The United Kingdom on Monday imposed sanctions against Iran’s national airline and shipping carrier, measures it said were taken in response to Iran’s transfer of ballistic missiles to Russia, Reuters reported.
The state-owned Iran Air and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL) will face an asset freeze for their role in supplying weapons to Russia for use on the battlefield against Ukraine, Britain said.
“Iran’s attempts to undermine global security are dangerous and unacceptable,” British Foreign Secretary David Lammy said. “We reiterate our call on Iran to cease its support for Russia’s illegal war in Ukraine.”
The sanctions will further restrict Iran Air’s direct commercial air services to and from the UK.
Britain also sanctioned the Russian cargo ship PORT OLYA-3 for its role in transporting military supplies to Russia, it said.
Meanwhile, The European Union has widened its sanctions against Iran over Tehran’s support of Russia in its war with Ukraine, the European Commission said on Monday.
The Commission said it had added the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL) and its director Mohammad Reza Khiabani – among others – to its sanctions list.
The fresh sanctions target vessels and ports used for transporting Iranian-made Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), missiles, and related technologies and components. They include prohibiting any transaction with ports and locks owned, operated, or controlled by the sanctioned individuals and entities.
“The Council today decided to widen the scope of the EU framework for restrictive measures in view of Iran’s military support to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and to armed groups and entities in the Middle East and the Red Sea region. This additional measure is targeted to the use of vessels and ports for the transfer of Iranian-made Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), missiles and related technologies and components,” the EU said in a press release.
“Today’s decision introduces a prohibition on the export, transfer, supply, or sale from the EU to Iran of components used in the development and production of missiles and UAVs,” it added.
(With inputs from agencies)