Iran summons UK, France, Germany envoys over Russia missiles allegations
Iran has summoned four European envoys as the United States and Europe react to Iran's alleged shipment of ballistic missiles to Russia.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry summoned the British, Dutch, French and German envoys Thursday in response to accusations that it provided short-range ballistic missiles to Russia.
The European envoys were summoned “following sanctions and unconstructive remarks by European parties,” the official Islamic Republic News Agency reported.
Emiel de Bont of the Netherlands, Simon Shercliff of the UK, Nicolas Roche of France and Hans-Udo Muzel of Germany were the four diplomats summoned for the meeting with the Iranian Foreign Ministry. In the meeting, an Iranian official "strongly condemned the destructive statements and actions" of the four European countries represented, according to IRNA.
The Iranian official also emphasized that Tehran wants a peaceful resolution to the Russia-Ukraine war.
A United States official confirmed recent allegations on Tuesday that Russia received an Iranian delivery of missiles. The delivery consisted of an unspecified number of short-range ballistic missiles that will reportedly be used to aid Russia in its war in Ukraine. The delivery comes after months of warnings against such shipments from the United States and its partners.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani denied the allegation on Tuesday, calling it “ugly propaganda and lie” in a statement on X.
On Wednesday in response to the accusations, the United Kingdom summoned the Iranian charge d’affaires and the Netherlands summoned Iran’s ambassador, likely sparking Iran’s response in kind.
The United States, United Kingdom, Germany and France announced new sanctions on Iran on Tuesday after Washington confirmed the reports. The United Kingdom, France and Germany said in a joint statement on the same day that they will cancel bilateral air service with Iran. The move targets Iran’s national carrier, Iran Air, which previously operated the highest number of direct flights connecting Iran and Europe.
Iran vowed on Tuesday to respond to the freshly imposed sanctions. “This action of the three European countries is the continuation of the hostile policy of the West and economic terrorism against the people of Iran, which will face the appropriate and proportionate action of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” Kanaani said.
Iran Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi doubled down on the denial on Wednesday, saying, “Once again, US and E3 act on faulty intelligence and flawed logic” in a post on X. “Iran has NOT delivered ballistic missiles to Russia. Period,."
The missile transfer represents a deepening of the Tehran-Moscow relationship, particularly in the defense sector, and a turning away from the United States and its Western allies. Comments earlier in August by Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, had hinted at Iran being open to a new nuclear deal. Yet now, with Iran’s shipment of missiles to Russia, any rapprochement seems far off.
