European Union leaders are ready to respond with new and significant measures against Iran amid reports that Tehran may transfer ballistic missiles to Russia for use against Ukraine, citing draft conclusions of next week's summit, Reuters reports, UNN writes.
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"The European Council calls on third parties to immediately stop providing material support to Russia's aggressive war against Ukraine," the draft text reads.
As indicated, six sources told Reuters that "Iran has provided Russia with a large number of powerful surface-to-surface ballistic missiles, deepening military cooperation between the two countries under US sanctions.
"Reports that Iran may have transferred ballistic missiles and related technologies to Russia for use against Ukraine are of great concern," the draft conclusions of the March 21-22 summit read.
"The European Union stands ready to respond swiftly and in coordination with international partners, including with new and significant measures against Iran," the draft conclusions say.
The conclusions reportedly also state that the leaders will call on EU High Representative Josep Borrell and the European Commission to prepare further sanctions against Belarus, North Korea and Iran.
Last September, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom maintained sanctions against Iran related to ballistic missiles and nuclear proliferation, which were due to expire in October in accordance with the 2015 Iran nuclear deal.
Officials said at the time that the decision was made largely because of Russia's use of Iranian drones against Ukraine and the possibility of Iran transferring ballistic missiles to Russia.
British Defense Secretary Grant Shapps said in an interview with House Magazine earlier this month that London has information about Iran providing ballistic missiles to Russia.
"Yes. I can't get into the details," Shapps said. - "Whether it's ballistic missiles or the Shahed unmanned aerial vehicles that they've been supplying to Russia, we've seen that if there's a struggle in the world, it's often Iran that's instigating it or, in this case, helping to provide the food chain.
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The Kyiv Scientific Research Institute has previously reported that the enemy has begun to use Shaheed 136 strike drones, parts and fragments of which are marked with the "Y" series - a transitional version of the weapon, which is likely to have been assembled in Russia. They also contained foreign-made components. And the Russians began to leave signatures on the inside of the UAV's hull.
"Unfortunately, the components traditionally identified are not Russian-made, namely: USA, Canada and Japan.
"The Russians' "innovation" was the signatures on the elements of the Shaheed 136. Literally, we can assume that this is a kind of report from the person responsible for preparing the assembly of a particular part of the drone. The "packers" leave their "autographs" on the inside of the drone's body. We sincerely hope that such a "modern" technology will eventually help to identify and bring Russian criminals to justice faster," said Oleksandr Ruvin, Director of Kyiv Scientific Research Institute of Forensic Expertise.