ANKARA

New Zealand on Thursday announced further sanctions on Russia and Iran over the Ukraine war.

Announcing the news, Foreign Minister Winston Peters said New Zealand’s latest sanctions target Russians involved in the country’s military-industrial complex as well as actors providing military assistance to Russia.

"These new sanctions include the designation of Russian individuals and entities involved in the illegal transfer of weaponry from North Korea to Russia, for use in Ukraine. These sanctions also target Iranian actors providing military assistance to Russia through the production and supply of drones," he said.

“New Zealand condemns all those who provide military support to Russia in its war of aggression against Ukraine. The supply of Iranian drones and North Korean weapons to Russia constitutes a threat to Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity," Peters added.

To date, New Zealand has imposed sanctions on more than 1,700 individuals and entities over the war, which started in February 2022, along with a range of trade measures.

*Writing by Islamuddin Sajid