The EU is moving toward a sanctions package against Iran over providing ballistic missiles to Russia amid the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Bloomberg reported on Oct. 4, citing undisclosed sources.
The U.S. confirmed in September that Tehran had supplied Russia with short-range Fath-360 ballistic missiles as another step in its growing military cooperation with Moscow.
Kyiv, Washington, and other Western countries subsequently imposed new economic restrictions against Iran, which already faces heavy sanctions over its nuclear program and backing of militant groups in the Middle East.
According to Bloomberg, the EU sanctions would target roughly a dozen individuals and entities, which includes firms involved in the engineering, metals, and aviation sectors.
The step should be reportedly approved by the upcoming EU summit in Brussels, scheduled for Oct. 16-18. This package would only be the first step and additional listings are under consideration, the sources told Bloomberg.
Russia and Iran have deepened their military and political ties since the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Tehran has provided Moscow with thousands of Shahed kamikaze drones used in attacks against Ukraine.
Tehran has repeatedly denied backing Russia in the war. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian claimed during a U.N. meeting in September that his country has never supported Moscow's invasion and denied the supplies of ballistic missiles.
Ukraine's military said on Sept. 29 that it had destroyed a Russian arsenal in Volgograd Oblast, which had allegedly received a shipment of Iranian missiles shortly before the strike.
Chris York
