WANA (Nov 18) – The European Council has announced fresh sanctions targeting Iran’s Islamic Republic of Shipping Lines (IRISL), its CEO Mohammad Reza Khiyabani, and four additional Iranian and Russian entities.

 

The move, tied to allegations of Iranian drone transfers to Russia for use in the Ukraine war, includes bans on the export, transport, and sale of components related to missile and drone production from the EU to Iran.

 

The EU claims these sanctions aim to curb Russian forces’ use of Iranian-made drones and missiles. The measures prohibit the use of ports and facilities operated by sanctioned entities, restricting access to strategic locations such as Amirabad and Anzali ports.

 

Russian shipping companies MG Flot, VTS Broker, and Arpax are also sanctioned and accused of transporting Iranian weapons, including drone components, across the Caspian Sea to supply Russian military forces.

 

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, Esmaeil Baghaei, stated on Monday that any hostile action by the European Union against Iran’s shipping sector would face a reciprocal response. Addressing reports of potential EU sanctions on Iranian shipping lines, Baghaei stated that “provocative measures targeting Iran’s economic sectors will not go unanswered.”

 

Baghaei highlighted that Ukraine has previously admitted claims about Iranian ballistic missile transfers to Russia were unfounded. He criticized European officials for failing to reconsider earlier sanctions based on these allegations and stressed that continued confrontation by certain European countries serves no one’s interests.

 

Earlier, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also took to social media on Sunday, denouncing EU actions as unjustified. He highlighted that even Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had confirmed no Iranian ballistic missiles were sent to Russia. Despite this, the EU continues to impose sanctions, including on Iranian airlines, allegedly based on false claims of missile transfers.

Araqchi’s Reaction to the EU’s Potential Decision to Sanction Iranian Shipping Lines

WANA (Nov 17) – The Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs, referring to reports about the European Union’s potential decision to sanction Iranian shipping lines, stated, “There is no legal, logical, or ethical basis for any of these actions by the European Union.”   Seyed Abbas Araqchi, in a post on the social platform X, criticized […]

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Araghchi warned that the EU’s plans to sanction Iran’s shipping industry under the same pretext lack legal, logical, or ethical justification. He stressed, “Freedom of navigation is a fundamental principle of international maritime law. When some selectively apply it, the consequences of such short-sightedness usually backfire on them.”

 

Araghchi described the EU’s actions as lacking any legal, logical, or moral basis, warning that such measures could lead to unintended consequences. “Freedom of navigation is a fundamental principle of maritime law,” he said, adding that selective application of this principle often backfires on those who attempt it.

Baghaei: Israel’s Threats Against Iran Violate International Law, Will Be Met with Appropriate Response

WANA (Nov 18) – In his weekly press conference today, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Esmail Baghaei addressed the recent threats by the Israeli regime against Iran’s nuclear facilities. He stated, “Our region has been familiar with the lawless approaches of the Israeli regime for decades. We have taken the necessary measures to defend the nation’s […]

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