EU’s executive arm the European Commission said in a statement on Monday that the sanctions were a response to what it described as concerns about the supply of Iranian-made Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), missiles, and related technologies and components to Russia and to armed groups in the Middle East.
It said the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL), its director Mohammad Reza Khiabani and others had been added to its sanctions list.
The bloc prohibited any transaction with vessels, ports and docks owned, operated, or controlled by the individuals and entities targeted by the sanctions.
The EU imposed sanctions on Iran’s national airline the Iran Air last month using the same claims about involvement in the supply of Iranian-made weapons to Russia.
UK sanctions Iran's airline and shipping lines
On Monday, the British government imposed sanctions on the Islamic Republic of Iran's airline and shipping companies in continuation of the baseless claim of Iran's involvement in the Ukraine conflict by sending ballistic missiles to Russia.
Iran Air, as a state airline, has been sanctioned in response to the Iranian government's transfer of ballistic missiles to Russia, the UK government's statement claimed.
In the continuation of the statement, it is mentioned that Iran's national shipping company has also been added to the list of sanctions in London.
According to this statement, the shipping company has been sanctioned under the pretext of the baseless claim of transferring weapons to Russia for use in conflict with Ukraine.
Iran has repeatedly rejected accusations it has been supplying weapons to Russia for use in the ongoing war in Ukraine.
In a post on his X account late on Sunday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi slammed reported EU plans to impose sanctions on the IRISL.
“Now, the EU is using the same non-existent missile pretext to also target our shipping lines,” said Araghchi, adding, “There is no legal, logical or moral basis for such behavior.”
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