TEHRAN – Canberra has followed in the footsteps of the UK and EU, with the Australian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announcing sanctions against Iranian individuals associated with the country’s missile program.

On Wednesday, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong asserted without evidence that Iran's missile program represents a significant threat to both regional and global security.

In her statement, she did not address the terrorist and extrajudicial actions of the Israeli regime in the region, instead asserting, “The launch of over 180 ballistic missiles by Iran on October 1 against Israel was a dangerous escalation that heightened the risk of a wider regional conflict.”

The newly imposed sanctions by Australia specifically target Nader Khonsiawash, the head of the Aerospace Industries Organization, Mirahmad Noshin, the CEO of the Aerospace Organization, Javad Mousavi, the commercial director of the Shahid Hemmat Industrial Group, Mohammad Gholami, a senior official within the Aerospace Industries Organization, and Amir Radfar, the head of the Shahid Bagheri Industrial Group.

On Tuesday, October 13, the European Union and the United Kingdom imposed sanctions on three Iranian airlines – Iran Air, Mahan Air, and Saha Airlines – along with military personnel associated with Iran's missile program. These sanctions were levied on the grounds that these entities allegedly supplied missiles and drones to Russia for use in the ongoing war in Ukraine. Tehran has repeatedly rejected involvement in the Ukraine conflict, asking Western states to come up with evidence to support their anti-Iran claims.