London: The UK government announced new measures against Iran and Russia, following the Iranian regime’s transfer of ballistic missiles to Russia for use on the battlefield in Ukraine.
Sharing a post on X, UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy said, “Iran’s export and Russia’s procurement of Iranian ballistic missiles is a further escalation in support of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. With our international partners, we have taken significant steps to respond to this direct threat to European security.”
“In coordination with our international partners, the UK will cancel its bilateral air services arrangements with Iran, which will restrict Iran Air’s ability to fly in to the UK,” a press release by the UK government said.
Notably, the measures follow repeated warnings from the UK and international partners calling on Iran to cease its planned transfer of the deadly weapons to Russia.
Criticising Iran for providing ballistic missiles to Russia in their war against Ukraine, Lammy said, “Iran supplying Russia with ballistic missiles to fuel its illegal invasion of Ukraine is a significant and dangerous escalation. We have been clear in that any transfer of ballistic missiles by Iran would face a significant response. Today, alongside our international partners, we are calling out this behaviour and its attempts to undermine global security.”
Expressing the UK’s stand for Ukraine, Lammy added, “Iran must stop supporting Putin’s (Russian President Vladimir Putin) unprovoked, premeditated and barbaric attack against a sovereign democratic state. The UK will stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes.”
Alongside the US, the UK is sanctioning a number of key individuals and organisations for their role in facilitating Iran’s military support to Russia, including those involved in ballistic missile and drone supply chains, the release added.
Brigadier General Seyed Hamzeh Ghalandari, Director General for International Relations of the Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces Logistics (MODAFL): linked to Iran’s exports of defence products to its partners; Second Brigadier General Ali Jafarabadi, head of the Space Command of the IRGC Aerospace Force (IRGC-ASF): oversees Iran’s testing of space launch vehicles which has supported the development of Iran’s long-range ballistic missile arsenal; Majid Mousavi, Deputy Commander of the IRGC-ASF and Deputy to the IRGC-ASF Commander Amir Ali Hajizadeh: oversees the development and operation of Iran’s inventory of ballistic missiles have been subjected to travel ban.
Those subject to an asset freeze include Anzali Free Trade Industrial Zone Organisation (Anzali FTZ); Baharestan Kish Company; Saad Sazeh Faraz Sharif (SSFS); and Chekad Sanat Faraz Asia (CSFA).
The press release further said that several Russian organisations are also sanctioned for their intent to use the weapons systems to bring destruction to Ukraine. These include — The 924th State Centre for Unmanned Aviation, The Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS) and Command of the Military Transport Aviation (VTA).
Notably, to date, the UK has more than 400 sanctions designations in place on Iranian individuals and entities, including those that seek to use malign influence regionally and internationally. The UK has also sanctioned 2,000 individuals and entities under the Russia sanctions regime, with over 1,700 of which sanctioned since Putin’s full-scale invasion.
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