Iran has condemned allegations by Western countries that it has supplied short-range missiles to Russia for use against Ukraine and pledged to respond to new sanctions imposed by a trio of European states.
Tehran’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Abbas Araghchi stated on Wednesday that Iran has not delivered ballistic missiles to Russia and that the United States and its allies are acting on “faulty intelligence”.
The previous day, the Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani called the sanctions announced by Britain, France and Germany “economic terrorism” against the people of Iran and pledged that the three European countries would face “appropriate and proportionate action”.
France, Germany and the United Kingdom announced the sanctions earlier the same day after the United States formally accused Iran of supplying the weapons to Moscow.
The measures revoke bilateral deals for providing air services to Iran and impose sanctions on flag carrier Iran Air that will restrict its ability to fly to Europe.
“In addition, we will pursue the designations of significant entities and individuals involved with Iran’s ballistic missile programme and the transfer of ballistic missiles and other weapons to Russia,” the three European states said.
The Iranian spokesman’s statement did not mention similar sanctions that were announced by the US.
“Any claim that the Islamic Republic of Iran has sold ballistic missiles to the Russian Federation is completely baseless and false,” Kanaani said.
“Sanctions addicts should ask themselves: how is Iran able to make and supposedly sell sophisticated arms?
Posting on X, Kanaani said reports on the alleged transfers were “ugly propaganda” used to conceal “large illegal arms support of the United States and some Western countries for the genocide in Gaza”.
Iran has vowed to react to fresh sanctions imposed by three European states and denounced claims made by Western nations that it has given Russia short-range missiles for use against Ukraine.
Iran has not sent ballistic missiles to Russia, according to Tehran’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Abbas Araghchi, who also claimed that the US and its allies were acting based on “faulty intelligence.”.
The sanctions imposed on the Iranian people by Britain, France, and Germany were dubbed “economic terrorism” the day before by Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani, who also promised that the three European nations would be subject to “appropriate and proportionate action.”.
The United States formally accused Iran of supplying the weapons to Moscow, and earlier that day, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom announced the sanctions.
The actions revoke bilateral agreements for the provision of aviation services to Iran and impose sanctions on Iran Air, the flag carrier, limiting its capacity to operate flights to Europe.
The three European states added, “We will also work toward designating important organizations and individuals associated with Iran’s ballistic missile program and the transfer of ballistic missiles and other weapons to Russia.”.
Similar US sanctions were not mentioned in the statement from the Iranian spokesman.
Kanaani declared, “Any claim that the Islamic Republic of Iran has sold ballistic missiles to the Russian Federation is completely false and baseless.”.
In a post on X, Araghchi stated, “Once again, US and E3 act on faulty intelligence and flawed logic.”.
“Sanctions [are] NOT a solution, but rather a part of the problem. Sanctions addicts should ask themselves: how is Iran able to make and supposedly sell sophisticated arms? “.
Tehran has been supplying Russia with its Shahed drones, but Moscow and Tehran have become closer since Moscow began its invasion in February 2022.
Russian ballistic missile shipments from Iran were received by Russia, which “likely uses them within weeks in Ukraine,” according to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and British Foreign Secretary David Lammy during a visit to London on Tuesday.
He added that dozens of Russian military personnel had received training in Iran on the use of the 120-kilometer (75-mile) Fath-360 missile, raising the alarm that cooperation between Moscow and Tehran poses a threat to wider European security.
“Ugly propaganda” to hide “large illegal arms support of the United States and some Western countries for the genocide in Gaza,” according to Kanaani, who posted on X about the purported transfers.
Some analysts have questioned the impact of additional economic sanctions, arguing that they might harm Iran’s middle classes more than its leaders. Iran is already among the most heavily sanctioned nations in the world.
