Switzerland Slaps Sanctions On Iran Over Drone Supply To Russia

Two models of Iran’s kamikaze Shahed drones on display in Tehran
Two models of Iran’s kamikaze Shahed drones on display in Tehran

Switzerland has imposed further sanctions in connection with Iran's drone supply for the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the government said in a statement on Friday.

Switzerland's Federal Council added in its statement that the new punitive measures are in line with those of the European Union and include bans on the sale, supply, export and transit of components used for the manufacture and production of drones.

According to the statement, the new package also targets financial and travel sanctions against persons and entities connected with support for Iran's drone program.

“In view of Iran's continued military support for Russia's military aggression against Ukraine, which is contrary to international law, and the fact that Russia is using Iranian-made Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) to support the military aggression,” the Federal Council adopted the sanctions imposed by the EU on 20 July as part of its new framework for restrictive measures. “Switzerland is incorporating these new sanctions measures into the Ordinance on Measures against the Islamic Republic of Iran.”

In July, a group of European Union candidate countries -- namely North Macedonia, Montenegro, Albania, Ukraine, Republic of Moldova, and Bosnia and Herzegovina -- aligned themselves with an EU Council decision to introduce a fresh sanctions framework aimed at Iran's support for Russia's war on Ukraine.

Switzerland has been adopting the EU's sanctions listings regarding the supply of Iranian UAVs to Russia since autumn 2022, the last time being on 16 August.

Earlier in the week, as a fresh Ukrainian report outlined the use of Western parts in Iranian-made drones, Washington issued a set of fresh sanctions on a procurement network.

The move is the latest in a series of recent Western sanctions on Iran for supplying hundreds of kamikaze Shahed drones to Russia. Moscow has used the lethal weapon to attack civilian and infrastructure targets, as well as to overwhelm Ukrainian air defenses during large missile attacks.