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Deputy Defense Minister Seyed Hamzeh Ghalandari is one of seven
senior officials now banned from traveling in Europe and whose
assets in the bloc were frozen. The EU said he “is involved in
the development of Iran’s (drone) and missile program,” given
his high-level defense role.
Iran Air, Mahan Air and Saha Airlines had their assets frozen.
The EU said their planes were “used repeatedly to transfer
Iranian-made unmanned aerial vehicles and related technologies
to Russia, which have been used in Russia’s war of aggression
against Ukraine.”
EU foreign ministers endorsed the sanctions at a meeting in
Luxembourg.
In March, the bloc had warned that “were Iran to transfer
ballistic missiles and related technology to Russia for use
against Ukraine, the EU would be prepared to respond swiftly,
including with new and significant restrictive measures.”
EU member countries, with the exception of Hungary, have been
supplying weapons and ammunition as well as economic and other
support to Ukraine worth some 118 billion euros ($129 billion)
since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022.
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