The White House is preparing to impose new sanctions on Iran as a response to its arms sales that have supported Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The United States is particularly concerned about Iran’s efforts to supply Russia with drones and other technology for the war against Ukraine. In addition, there are fears that Iran may provide ballistic missiles to Moscow, which would escalate the situation even further.
National Security Council spokesman John Kirby stated that the U.S. will be imposing additional sanctions on Iran in the coming days. He also issued a warning to Iran, stating that if they proceed with selling ballistic missiles to Russia, the response from the international community will be swift and severe. The U.S. plans to take the matter to the UN Security Council, despite Russia’s veto power.
Kirby emphasized that the U.S. has not yet seen any confirmation that missiles have been transferred from Iran to Russia. However, he also mentioned that there is no reason to believe that Iran will not follow through with their plans. As a result, the U.S. is prepared to implement additional sanctions against Iran and coordinate further response options with its allies and partners in Europe and elsewhere.
The timing of these new sanctions is significant. The U.S. is set to announce them on Friday, which coincides with the second anniversary of the Ukraine invasion by Russia. This date also marks the recent death of Alexei Navalny, a prominent critic of the Kremlin who passed away in a Russian penal colony.
The U.S. has previously taken action against the military partnership between Russia and Iran, and it is determined to continue doing so in response to Iran’s support for Russia’s war in Ukraine. The White House is committed to imposing further sanctions on Iran in the coming days, and it is prepared to go even further if Iran proceeds with selling ballistic missiles to Russia.
Overall, these new sanctions reflect the United States’ strong stance against Iran’s involvement in supporting Russia’s actions in Ukraine. The U.S. government is determined to hold Iran accountable for its actions and is working with its allies to ensure a coordinated response. As tensions continue to rise in the region, it remains to be seen how Iran will respond to these measures and whether they will have any impact on Russia’s actions in Ukraine.