EU To Sanction 8 Iranians, Entities Over Drone Supply To Russia
European Union governments have provisionally agreed to impose sanctions on eight people and entities over Iran’s supply of drones to Russian to be used against Ukraine.
European Union governments have provisionally agreed to impose sanctions on eight people and entities over Iran’s supply of drones to Russian to be used against Ukraine.
Three diplomats said that sanctions experts from the 27 EU members agreed to the list in a meeting on Wednesday. It will be further discussed by national ambassadors at a meeting scheduled for later in the day.
EU governments have until Thursday morning to decide whether to approve the sanctions, the goal being to agree the package before leaders convene in Brussels for a summit starting later in the day.
Ukraine has reported a spate of Russian attacks using Iranian-made Shahed-136 drones in recent weeks, while Tehran and Kremlin deny the supply of drones to Russia.
A European Commission spokesperson said there was consensus on foreign ministers meeting in Luxembourg October 17, that the EU should react swiftly. "Now that we have gathered our own sufficient evidence, work is ongoing in the Council with view to a clear, swift and firm response," the spokesperson told the EU's executive's daily news conference.
In addition to supplying drones, Iran has promised to send its own Fateh-110 and Zolfaghar surface-to-surface missiles to Russia for strikes on Ukrainian cities and troops. A deal was agreed on October 6 when Iran's First Vice President Mohammad Mokhber, two senior officials from Iran's Revolutionary Guards and an official from the Supreme National Security Council visited Moscow for talks with Russia about weapons deliveries.
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian announced on Wednesday that four institutions and 15 foreign officials that had a hand in the sanctions against the Islamic Republic would be added to the country’s blocklist.
