EU Includes Iran Air in Sanctions over Missile Transfer to Russia

A projectile is seen in the sky after Iran fired a salvo of ballistic missiles, amid cross-border hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel, as seen from Tel Aviv, Israel, October 1, 2024. (Reuters)
A projectile is seen in the sky after Iran fired a salvo of ballistic missiles, amid cross-border hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel, as seen from Tel Aviv, Israel, October 1, 2024. (Reuters)
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EU Includes Iran Air in Sanctions over Missile Transfer to Russia

A projectile is seen in the sky after Iran fired a salvo of ballistic missiles, amid cross-border hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel, as seen from Tel Aviv, Israel, October 1, 2024. (Reuters)
A projectile is seen in the sky after Iran fired a salvo of ballistic missiles, amid cross-border hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel, as seen from Tel Aviv, Israel, October 1, 2024. (Reuters)

The European Union agreed on Monday to impose sanctions on seven people and seven organizations, including airline Iran Air, for their links to Iranian transfers of ballistic missiles to Russia.

The listings also include Saha Airlines and Mahan Air and Iran's Deputy Defense Minister Seyed Hamzeh Ghalandari.

Last month, the United States, citing intelligence it said had been shared with allies, said Russia had received ballistic missiles from Iran for its war in Ukraine.

Washington imposed sanctions on ships and companies it said were involved in weapons transfers. Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian said his government had not transferred any weapons to Russia since it took office in August.

Also facing sanctions under the EU move are prominent officials from the Iranian Revolutionary Guard and the managing directors of Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industries and Aerospace Industries Organization.

The sanctions include an asset freeze and a travel ban to the European Union.

"Military assistance to an aggressor violates international law and the UN Charter. Those who support aggression must share responsibility and pay the price," Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said on X, welcoming the new sanctions.



Spain's Sanchez Urges Other EU Members to Suspend Free Trade Agreement with Israel

Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez attends a military parade to mark the country's National Day, in Madrid, Spain, October 12, 2024. REUTERS/Isabel Infantes
Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez attends a military parade to mark the country's National Day, in Madrid, Spain, October 12, 2024. REUTERS/Isabel Infantes
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Spain's Sanchez Urges Other EU Members to Suspend Free Trade Agreement with Israel

Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez attends a military parade to mark the country's National Day, in Madrid, Spain, October 12, 2024. REUTERS/Isabel Infantes
Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez attends a military parade to mark the country's National Day, in Madrid, Spain, October 12, 2024. REUTERS/Isabel Infantes

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Monday urged other members of the European Union to respond to Madrid and Ireland's request to suspend the bloc's free trade agreement with Israel over its actions in Gaza and Lebanon.
For months, both Spain and Ireland have been in talks with other EU countries who want a review of the EU-Israel Association Agreement on the basis that Israel may be breaching the agreement's human rights clause.
Israel began a war on the Gaza Strip a year ago after the Iran-backed Palestinian Hamas group launched a surprise attack into Israel killing 1,200 Israelis and taking 250 people hostage.

The war has shattered much of the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip, killing more than 42,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which does not differentiate between fighters and civilians. It says more than half were women and children.
In late September, Israel shifted some of its focus to Hezbollah, which holds much of the power in parts of southern Lebanon and some other areas of the country, attacking the militants with exploding pagers, airstrikes and, eventually, incursions into Lebanon.