European Union’s foreign ministers have decided to sanction Iran’s shipping of drones and missiles to Russia as used in the war in Ukraine, in another attempt to crack down on Moscow’s fighting ability.
The EU widened the scope of possible sanctions against Iran, to include people and companies making “use of vessels and ports for the transfer” of Iranian-made Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) – meaning drones – and missiles, as well as related technologies and components, to Russia.
Concretely, this move also includes a transaction ban for “ports and locks that are owned, operated or controlled by listed individuals and entities, or are used for the transfer of Iranian UAVs or missiles or related technology and components to Russia,” the Council said in a statement on Monday (18 November).
Also included is the supply of “any service” to ships used for the transportation of drones, missiles, or related technologies, the statement reads.
The Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL), the country’s national maritime shipping company, as well as MG Flot, VTS Broker, and Arapax, three Russian shipping companies, were sanctioned too.
In a move to make sure no EU-based company is included in the supply chain of Iranian drones used by Russia against Ukrainians, the new measures also target the export, transfer, supply, or sale from the EU to Iran of “components used in the development and production of missiles and UAVs.”
The EU already targeted Iranian officials and companies last month, in a set of sanctions for supplying Russia with ballistic missiles.
The move by Europeans to crack down on Iran’s support to Moscow comes as Ukraine struggles to make advances on the battlefield, and fears it will not have enough weapons to fight back and protect its energy infrastructures during this winter.
It is yet unclear how the US announcement to allow Ukraine to strike deep into Russia will change the course of the war.
[Edited by Rajnish Singh]
