DUBAI: Iran’s foreign ministry summoned the heads of the British, French, German and Dutch embassies on Thursday following accusations of missile transfers to Russia and the imposition of new sanctions.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken alleged on Tuesday that Russia had received ballistic missiles from Iran and would likely use them against Ukraine within weeks.

The US, Britain, Germany and France also announced new sanctions on Iran, including measures against its national airline Iran Air.

The Kremlin said after Blinken’s statement that the assertions were baseless. Iran said the statements on missile transfers to Russia were “false and misleading” and condemned the new sanctions, which also include the cancellation of bilateral air services agreements by the three European states.

“Following the continuation of non-constructive statements by some Euro­pean parties aligned with the United States falsely claiming interference in the Ukraine conflict and imposing sanctions on the Islamic Republic, the embassy heads of Britain, France, the Netherlands and Germany have been summoned in Tehran,” Mizan said.

Published in Dawn, September 13th, 2024