The EU is expected to impose sanctions on people and organizations linked to the Iranian transfer of ballistic missiles to Russia on Monday, two European diplomats and a high-ranking EU official said Friday.
EU foreign ministers will approve sanctions on 14 individuals and organizations, including airlines and other companies, over the transfers, according to a diplomat speaking on condition of anonymity.
EU officials did not identify the firms or individuals. Diplomats had previously said the EU was considering measures that would curb the operations of national airline Iran Air.
Last month, the United States, citing intelligence shared with allies, said Russia had received ballistic missiles from Iran for the war in Ukraine.
Washington immediately imposed sanctions on ships and companies it said were involved in arms transfers.
The EU then said it had received “credible information” on Iran’s transfer of ballistic missiles to Russia and foreign policy chief Josep Borrell proposed “a large set of decisive and targeted measures” against Iran in response.
Monday’s package will be the first result of that proposal. Since the 27-nation EU requires unanimity to agree on sanctions, such decisions usually take some time.
Following the US accusations, Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian said his government had not transferred any weapons to Russia since taking office in August.
A high-ranking EU official said Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi had told Borrell that Iran had supplied Russia with “short-range rockets” that can fly up to 250 kilometers.
According to the EU official speaking on condition of anonymity, the Iranian minister insisted the rockets were not ballistic and did not say when they were moved.
EU officials also said discussions were ongoing among EU countries on whether to list Iran’s powerful Revolutionary Guards military force as a terrorist organization.
Officials said a German court ruling provided the legal basis for such a list, but EU members are still debating whether making the designation is politically wise.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)