EU Expands Sanctions Against Iran, Targets Aviation and Defense Figures

LUXEMBOURG: European Union foreign ministers decided on Monday to impose sanctions on 14 entities and individuals in Iran, including Iran Air, for delivering or facilitating the delivery of ballistic missiles to Moscow. The sanctions target prominent figures and firms, expanding the EU's efforts to curb military cooperation between Iran and Russia. According to Jordan News Agency, the 27 countries added in a statement during their meeting in Luxembourg that the sanctions also affected the Iranian airlines "Saha Airlines" and "Mahan Air". This move marks a significant step in the EU's response to Iran's involvement in military supply chains supporting conflicts outside its borders. The sanctions also affected seven Iranian individuals, most notably Iranian Deputy Defense Minister Seyed Hamza Ghalandari, and five entities, including two Iranian companies accused of supplying the fuel used by these missiles. The sanctions include an asset freeze in the EU and a travel ban within EU territory. The EU's decisio n underscores its commitment to countering the proliferation of military technologies used in conflicts, emphasizing the union's strategic stance on global security issues.