(Bloomberg) -- The European Union backed a package of sanctions targeting Iran for providing Russia with ballistic missiles, with measures including restrictions on Iran Air and two procurement firms.
A total of 14 individuals and entities were listed, including three airlines, as well as firms involved in the proliferation of Iranian arms to Russia, according to a news release. The sanctioned officials include Iran’s deputy defense secretary, Seyed Hamzeh Ghalandari, and the manging directors of two EU-listed defense companies.
The sanctions approved Monday by EU foreign ministers, which include asset freezes and travel bans, are a first response to the provision of missiles and additional listings are being assessed, Bloomberg previously reported. Iran has previously been sanctioned for providing Russia with attack drones.
Iran delivered ballistic missiles to Russia last month, according to US and European assessments. That prompted an initial set of penalties from the US, Germany, France and the UK. Iran has also provided Moscow with hundreds of attack drones and other weapons during Russia’s 2 1/2-year war against Ukraine, but the transfer of ballistic missiles marks deeper involvement in the conflict. Tehran denies sending the missiles to Russia.
The EU is also weighing whether to add the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, a branch of Iran’s army, to its terrorist list. A legal decision in one of the member states is required as a legal basis for the EU to add an individual or entity to this list, which comes with a set of sanctions.
On Friday, a high-ranking EU official confirmed that the bloc had deemed a German court ruling dating back to December 2023 to be a sufficient legal basis and that member states are now discussing whether to move forward with the designation.
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