EU expands sanctions on Iran over support for Russia's war in Ukraine

The European Union (EU) has expanded its restrictive measures against Iran in response to the country’s military support for Russia's war of aggression in Ukraine and its involvement in armed groups and entities in the Middle East and the Red Sea region.

The latest sanctions specifically target the use of vessels and ports for the transfer of Iranian-made Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), missiles, and related technologies to Russia and other entities involved in the conflict, Caliber.Az reports, citing the press service of the European Council.

New EU measures include a ban on the export, transfer, supply, or sale of components used in the production of missiles and UAVs to Iran. The EU is also imposing a transaction ban on ports and locks controlled by individuals or entities listed under these sanctions, including the Iranian ports of Amirabad and Anzali, which have been used for such transfers. This includes prohibiting any services to vessels operating in these ports, except for those in need of assistance for safety or humanitarian reasons.

Additionally, the EU has placed sanctions on one individual and four entities, including Iran’s national maritime carrier, the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL), and its director, Mohammad Reza Khiabani. IRISL has been involved in shipping drones on behalf of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy. The EU also designated three Russian shipping companies — MG Flot, VTS Broker, and Arapax — whose vessels have been used to transport Iranian weapons and ammunition across the Caspian Sea to supply Russian forces in Ukraine.

This move follows the EU’s condemnation of Iranian missile transfers to Russia, which it sees as a direct threat to European security and a dangerous escalation in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The EU has vowed to respond swiftly and in coordination with international partners to address Iran’s role in fueling the war.

By Khagan Isayev