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Thursday, November 21, 2024 8:36 GMT
The European Union has widened its sanctions against Iran over Tehran's support of Russia in its war with Ukraine, the European Commission said on Monday. The Commission said it had added the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL) and its director Mohammad Reza Khiabani, among others, to its sanctions list.The fresh sanctions are against vessels and ports used for transporting Iranian-made Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), missiles and related technologies and components. They include prohibiting any transaction with ports and locks owned, operated or controlled by the sanctioned individuals and entities.The Managing Director of Iran's Ports and Maritime Organization Ali Akbar Safaei condemned the fresh sanctions and denied the "European accusations" as "baseless", Iran's official IRNA News Agency reported on Monday.The EU is also sanctioning three Russian shipping firms - MG Flot, VTS Broker, and Arapax - for transporting Iranian weapons, including drone parts, across the Caspian Sea to resupply Russian troops in Ukraine.Britain also on Monday imposed sanctions against Iran's national airline and shipping carrier, measures it said were taken in response to Iran's transfer of ballistic missiles to Russia. The state-owned Iran Air and IRISL will face an asset freeze for their role in supplying weapons to Russia for use on the battlefield against Ukraine, Britain said."Iran’s attempts to undermine global security are dangerous and unacceptable," British Foreign Secretary David Lammy said. "We reiterate our call on Iran to cease its support for Russia's illegal war in Ukraine."The sanctions will further restrict Iran Air's direct commercial air services to and from the UK.Britain also sanctioned the Russian cargo ship PORT OLYA-3 for its role in transporting military supplies to Russia, it said. - Reuters