On September 11, 2024, the United States, United Kingdom, France, and Germany announced that Iran has delivered short-range ballistic missiles to Russia for use in Ukraine. As a result, new sanctions against Iran will be swiftly implemented.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken made this announcement during a press conference in London, stating that Russia has received missile shipments and is likely to use them against Ukraine within weeks. He emphasized that the supply of Iranian missiles allows Russia to target areas beyond the front lines.
The governments of France, the UK, and Germany condemned the alleged transfer of Iranian missiles to Russia, labeling it as an escalation of tensions and a direct threat to European security. They warned that if Iranian missiles are delivered to Russia, significant actions against Iran would follow.
Immediate actions include the termination of bilateral aviation services with Iran and the categorization of entities and individuals linked to Iran's ballistic missile program. Additionally, the U.S. Treasury has imposed sanctions on ten Iranian individuals and five companies associated with the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps and Russia.
Britain announced the cessation of all direct air services between the UK and Iran. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell committed to a decisive response, with a range of proposed measures sent to member states, although EU-level sanctions require agreement from all 27 members.
Iran has previously denied supplying weapons to Ukraine or Russia, calling such claims inhumane as they could increase civilian casualties and hinder ceasefire efforts. However, Ukraine has reported the use of Iranian-made drones in attacks since late 2022.
In response to the allegations, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani labeled them as false and misleading, focusing instead on U.S. military support for Israel in the Gaza conflict.
Meanwhile, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov refrained from commenting on the reports but acknowledged ongoing cooperation between Russia and Iran on various sensitive issues.