TEHRAN – The UK, Germany, France, and the United States are preparing to impose new sanctions against Iran, accusing the West Asian country of supplying Russia with missiles for use in the Ukraine war. 

In a joint statement on Thursday, Paris, Berlin, and London said the unsubstantial reports of Iran’s alleged missile transfer to Moscow is a “further escalation of Iran’s military support to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine”. They said they will be taking immediate steps to cancel bilateral air services with Iran. “In addition, we will pursue the designations of significant entities and individuals involved with Iran’s ballistic missile program and the transfer of ballistic missiles and other weapons to Russia,” the statement added.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken also announced similar acts by the U.S. during a Tuesday visit to London. “Russia has now received shipments of these ballistic missiles and will likely use them within weeks in Ukraine,” he said without citing any evidence. 

The latest accusations against Iran regarding its involvement in the Ukraine war follow a pattern of unsubstantiated claims from the West. For months, Western states have been alleging that Russia is using Iranian-made drones to hit targets inside Ukraine. 

Iranian authorities have rejected providing weapons to Moscow for use in the Ukraine war multiple times while condemning Europe and the U.S. for their double standards, as the West continues to arm Israel amid the regime’s ongoing genocide in Gaza. 

The West has also been sending more sophisticated weapons to Ukraine, instead of helping Kyiv sit at the negotiating table with Moscow.