US announces new sanctions on Iran

WASHINGTON

The US Treasury Department announced Tuesday new sanctions on Iran for its "lethal" arms delivery to Russia.

"In response to Iran’s ongoing military support, including the recent delivery of ballistic missiles, to Russia for its war of aggression against Ukraine, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is designating ten individuals and six entities based in Iran and Russia and identifying four vessels as blocked property that are enabling Iran’s delivery of weapons components and weapons systems, including unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and close-range ballistic missiles (CRBMs), to Russia," the agency said in a statement.

Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo said Iran has opted to intensify its involvement in Russia’s "illegal war" and the US, along with its partners, will continue to stand with Ukraine.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Tuesday that Moscow has received ballistic missiles from Iran and the US warned Tehran privately that taking that “step would constitute a dramatic escalation."

"Russia has now received shipments of these ballistic missiles and will likely use them within weeks in Ukraine against Ukrainians," Blinken said at a news conference with British Foreign Secretary David Lammy in London.

He added that dozens of Russian military personnel have been trained in Iran to use the Fath-360 close-range ballistic missile system, which has a maximum range of 75 miles.

Blinken also warned that growing cooperation between Russia and Iran threatens European security.