UN Security Council diplomats are examining Iran’s transfer of drones, ballistic missiles, and even military experts to support Russia’s war in Ukraine as it violates UNSC resolution 2231, which is part of the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
Ukrainian and western officials have affirmed that Iran is supplying Russia with weapons in contravention of UNSC resolution 2231.
The US, Britain and France have raised the file to the UNSC. Resolution 2231 was adopted by the UN’s most powerful body in 2015 to endorse the nuclear deal between Iran and six key nations — the US, Russia, China, Britain, France, and Germany.
Ukraine has called on UN experts to investigate Iran-made drones being used by Russia. The breach of obligations under the 2015 nuclear deal and UNSC resolution 2231 gives grounds to initiating the snapback mechanism for reinstating international sanctions on Iran.
US intelligence information that Iran had also sent Revolutionary Guards trainers to Crimea to help the Russian military overcome problems with the Iranian-made drone fleet also raised the level of concern among Western countries.
The European Union is working to impose new sanctions on Iran after collecting “sufficient evidence” that it is supplying Russia with deadly drones for use in Ukraine, a spokeswoman for the bloc said on Wednesday.
“Now that we have gathered our own sufficient evidence, work is ongoing in the [European] Council in view of a clear, swift, and firm EU response,” said Nabila Massrali, spokeswoman for EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell.
An EU diplomat revealed that there was work underway to draw up a list of Iranian individuals and entities linked to the drones who would be added to the bloc’s sanctions blacklist.
Also, French sources revealed that Europeans are considering slapping sanctions on Iran for providing the drones used by Russia in its war on Ukraine.
These sanctions will be imposed in the next few days and will be added to sanctions approved by European foreign ministers at their Oct.17 meeting, sources added.
The sanctions slapped on Iran last Monday targeted Iranian figures and bodies involved in suppressing ongoing protests there.
