EU imposes sanctions on Iranian drone maker Shahed

Brussels made Shahed Aviation Industries responsible for "supporting actions that threaten the sovereignty of Ukraine." The US media previously wrote about the supply of drones by Iran to Russia,

The European Union has included in the sanctions list the Iranian company Shahed Aviation Industries, which produces drones, according to the EU magazine.

Brussels calls the company associated with the Aerospace Forces of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

“Shahed Aviation Industries is responsible for material support of actions that undermine or threaten the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine,” the magazine says. The EU claims that the Iranian drones "were supplied to Russia." Russian and Iranian authorities have repeatedly denied this.

Also, restrictions were imposed against the head of the General Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, Mohammad Bagheri, the head of the supply department of the Iranian Defense Ministry, Sayed Qureishi, and the commander of the Aerospace Forces of the IRGC, Sayed Aghajani.

Earlier, the Czech Representation in the EU reported that members of the community agreed to freeze the assets of three individuals and one legal entity responsible for the supply of drones that strike Ukraine. Bloomberg wrote that the three generals who fall under the sanctions "are directly involved in the Iranian UAV program and its cooperation with Russia."

Since mid-summer, the American media have been writing about Iran's deliveries of drones to Russia. This, in particular, was reported by CNN and the Washington Post. US national security adviser Jake Sullivan claimed that Washington has information about Iran's plans to provide Russia with up to several hundred drones. The US State Department said that the American side is ready to tighten sanctions against Iran in order to prevent the supply of "dangerous weapons" to Russia.

The Office of the President of Ukraine reported on attacks on infrastructure by kamikaze drones. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba also proposed to break off diplomatic relations with Iran.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova called the reports of Iranian drones "rumors spread by some independent, unnamed closed sources in the American media." Iranian Ambassador to the UN Amid Saeed Iravani also said that the accusations of supplying drones are groundless and unsubstantiated.