Tehran summons UK envoy to protest sanctions on Iran’s aviation, shipping sectors

Iran's Foreign Ministry on Tuesday night summoned the British chargé d’affaires to protest the latest UK sanctions on Iran’s shipping and aviation industries over Tehran’s alleged missile transfers to Russia.

Iran's Foreign Ministry on Tuesday night summoned the British chargé d’affaires to protest the latest UK sanctions on Iran’s shipping and aviation industries over Tehran’s alleged missile transfers to Russia.

The British envoy was told that Iran's defense cooperation with Russia is legitimate and legal and is not against any third party, according to Iran’s state TV.

The UK envoy was summoned hours after the ambassador of Hungary, the rotating president of the EU, was summoned to receive Iran’s strong protest over similar sanctions imposed by the EU against the Islamic Republic.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry slammed the British and EU sanctions as illegal interference in Iran’s domestic affairs, saying it is not acceptable in any way.

The sanctions, introduced on Monday, targeted several Iranian entities and individuals including the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL) as well as Iran’s flagship carrier Iran Air.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Tuesday the EU and the UK have accused Iran of supplying ballistic missiles to Russia and imposed sanctions on Iran’s airlines and shipping without presenting any evidence.

“At the same time, based on documents submitted to court, British media today reveals that the UK, fully aware that its arms and F-35 components are used by Israel in grave violations of international humanitarian law, continues to export these weapons. The UK's justification? Maintaining ties with the US and NATO. This contradictory behavior exposes their double standards and abdication of responsibility toward human rights,” Araghchi tweeted.

Earlier in the day, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman had called the EU and British sanctions “unjustified”, saying they were imposed based on false claims of missile transfers to Russia.

"Iran considers the imposition of new sanctions by the European Union and the United Kingdom against a number of Iranian individuals and legal entities on the false claim of sending ballistic missiles to Russia as an unjustified act that contradicts the norms of international law," Esmail Baghaei said.

Baghaei accused the European parties of violating international law, including the freedom of navigation and maritime trade, via sanctions.

In September, the United States, citing intelligence shared with its allies, reported that Russia had received ballistic missiles from Iran for use in its ongoing conflict in Ukraine. In response, Washington imposed sanctions on the vessels and companies involved in facilitating the weapons transfers.

The new sanctions, imposed on the 1,000th day of the Ukraine war, are part of a wider strategy to economically and diplomatically isolate Iran.