And so Much for Sanctions...

"Russia has now received shipments of these ballistic missiles and will likely use them within weeks in Ukraine, against Ukrainians."

"The supply of Iranian missiles enables Russia to use more of its arsenal for targets that are further from the front line."

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken

Iranian ballistic missiles are displayed during the ceremony of joining the Armed Forces, in Tehran, Iran, August 22, 2023. Iran's Presidency/WANA (West Asia News Agency)/Handout via REUTERS/

Iran has been formally placed on notice by the United States and Britain, accusing the Islamic Republic of supplying Russia with short-range ballistic missiles for use in its war with Ukraine. They made it clear that their intention is to take measures that those involved would be punished.

During a trip to London, speaking alongside British Foreign Secretary David Lammy, U.S. Secretary of State Blinken stated that Iran had chosen to ignore warnings against the transfer of such weapons, representing a profound escalation of the conflict.

The United States, Britain and Germany issued a joint statement soon afterward, characterizing the missile transfers as "a direct threat to European security", earning penalties to be imposed on Iran, that would include cancellation of bilateral air services agreements and sanctions on anyone involved in its ballistic missile program.

 

Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi in Tehran, Iran July 19, 2022. President Website/WANA (West Asia News Agency)/Handout via REUTERS

 

"We will also work toward imposing sanctions on Iran Air", they added. Economic sanctions have been imposed on people and companies based in Iran, China, Russia, Turkey and other nations that officials identify as being connected with Iran's drone program development, in the past several years. As far back as November 2022, sanctions on Iranian drone production tied to Russia's invasion of Ukraine were issued in spite of Iran's denials of having sent drones to Russia.

 

Kyiv, anxious to persuade the United States and other weapons donors toward its challenge of Russia's invasion, hopes that these Iranian missile accusations will help it finally persuade its benefactors to allow the Ukrainian military to use the donated West-sourced missiles to be launched deeper into Russian territory. At least to allow Ukraine to target the aerial launch sites in Russia from whence the missiles are shot deeply into Ukrainian territory. 

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken (left) and UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy visited Kyiv on Wednesday, 11 Sept. 2024   Reuters