Iran Vows Response to Western Sanctions Over Alleged Missile Supply to Russia
Iran has vowed to respond to new sanctions imposed by three European countries following accusations that Tehran supplied ballistic missiles to Russia for use in the Ukraine war.
Tehran strongly denies the allegations and has labeled the sanctions as “economic terrorism.”
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi reiterated on Wednesday that Iran had not delivered any ballistic missiles to Russia. He dismissed the accusations as based on “faulty intelligence,” insisting that the sanctions imposed by the United States, the UK, France, and Germany would not address the situation.
“Sanctions are not a solution but part of the problem,” Araghchi wrote on social media.
The sanctions come in response to allegations by the United States and its allies that Iran supplied weapons, including short-range missiles, to Russia. These new measures will revoke bilateral agreements on air services to Iran and impose restrictions on Iran Air, limiting its ability to operate flights to Europe.
Nasser Kanaani, the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman, condemned the sanctions and called them “economic terrorism” targeting the Iranian people. He warned that Iran would take “appropriate and proportionate action” in response to the sanctions.
The sanctions were imposed shortly after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken publicly stated that Russia had received Iranian ballistic missiles and could deploy them in Ukraine within weeks. Blinken also raised concerns that military cooperation between Moscow and Tehran posed a broader threat to European security.
Western countries have intensified diplomatic pressure on Iran, with the UK summoning Iran’s most senior diplomat in London. The British government warned that any transfer of ballistic missiles to Russia would be seen as a dangerous escalation and would prompt a strong response.
Meanwhile, the Kremlin denied reports of receiving missiles from Iran, dismissing the claims as unfounded. As the situation develops, Iran has already faced questions about the effectiveness of further sanctions, given the country’s heavily sanctioned status and the potential impact on its economy and middle class.
Al Jazeera and Reuters contributed to this report.
