ROME: The Group of Seven (G7) industrialised powers told Iran on Friday not to transfer ballistic missiles to Russia to use in its conflict with Ukraine, warning that they would take action against Tehran if it did so.

“Were Iran to proceed with providing ballistic missiles or related technology to Russia, we are prepared to respond swiftly and in a coordinated manner, including with new and significant measures against Iran,” the G7 leaders said in a statement.

In Washington, a US official said the new penalties could include a ban on Iran Air flights to Europe. “Our message today is, if Iran proceeds with providing Russia with ballistic missiles, the response from the international community will be swift and severe,” the official told a small group of reporters.

The official said that while the United States had not been able to confirm that the transfer has already taken place, there clearly was an effort by Tehran to advance negotiations with Moscow on the missiles.

Iran has provided Russia with a large number of powerful surface-to-surface ballistic missiles, sources said last month, deepening the military cooperation between the two countries, which are both under US sanctions.

The G7 statement did not say whether it believed Russia had already received Iranian missiles, suggesting that Tehran was still reviewing the possibility.

“We are extremely concerned about reports that Iran is considering transferring ballistic missiles and related technology,” the statement said.

“We call on Iran not to do so, as it would add to regional destabilisation and represent a substantive material escalation in its support for Russia’s war in Ukraine,” the G7 said, adding that Tehran had already provided Russia with drones that it had used against civilians.

The G7 group of major Western democracies is currently chaired by Italy and includes the United States, Japan, Germany, Britain, France and Canada.

The statement came as the European Union is also considering measures against Iran for arming Russia.

UN Security Council restrictions on Iran’s export of some missiles, drones and other technologies expired in October. However, the United States and European Union retained sanctions on Iran’s ballistic missile programme amid concerns over exports of weapons to its proxies in the Middle East and to Russia.

Ballistic missiles would be a powerful new weapon for Russia to use in its war in Ukraine.

The United States has said previously Iran has already provided Russia with drones, guided aerial bombs and artillery ammunition that Moscow has used to attack Ukrainian targets.

Washington has been on high alert for a year about what it has described as an “unprecedented Russian-Iranian defence partnership” that will help Moscow prolong its war in Ukraine as well as pose a threat to Iran’s neighbours.

Published in Dawn, March 16th, 2024