France, Germany, UK sanction Iran for supplying missiles to Russia

France, Germany and the United Kingdom will sanction Iran for providing missiles to Russia for its war on Ukraine, the three countries announced Tuesday.

“This is a further escalation of Iran’s military support to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and will see Iranian missiles reaching European soil, increasing the suffering of the Ukrainian people,” Paris, Berlin and London said in a joint statement.

“We will be taking immediate steps to cancel bilateral air services agreements with Iran. 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 statement added.

France, Germany and the U.K. also said they “will also work towards imposing sanctions on Iran Air,” Iran’s flag carrier.

An EU spokesperson confirmed they have also received “credible information” about the delivery of Iranian ballistic missiles to Russia, adding that the missiles “will likely assist Russia’s escalatory bombing campaign against Ukrainian civilians, cities and civilian infrastructure, further increasing civilian casualties and destruction.”

“Such support to Russia’s terrorising campaign against Ukraine’s population will be met with a strong EU response,” the spokesperson said, adding that the bloc’s chief diplomat has already put a series of measures to member countries which will have to be unanimously approved.

Ukraine’s foreign ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi said that Kyiv warned Iran that if it supplies Russia with missiles, there will be harsh consequences. “All options are on the table,” he said at a press briefing in Kyiv on Tuesday when asked if Ukraine would cut diplomatic ties.

United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken also vowed fresh U.S. sanctions on Tehran.

“This development and the growing cooperation between Russia and Iran threatens European security,” Blinken said Tuesday.

The U.S. and EU have already slapped numerous sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program, human rights abuses and support for the Kremlin’s invasion of Ukraine.

“We call on Iran to immediately cease all support to Russia’s war against Ukraine and halt the development and transfers of its ballistic missiles,” France, Germany and the U.K. said.

Veronika Melkozerova and Suzanne Lynch contributed reporting. This story has been updated.