EU alleges 'credible information' that Iran sent missiles to Russia

The European Union said, on Monday, September 9, that its allies had shared intelligence that Iran had supplied Russia with ballistic missiles, and warned of new sanctions on Tehran if the deliveries were confirmed, Le Monde reports. "We are aware of the credible information provided by allies on the delivery of Iranian ballistic missiles to Russia," EU spokesperson Peter Stano said. "We are looking further into it with our member states and if confirmed, this delivery would represent a substantive material escalation in Iran's support for Russia's illegal war of aggression against Ukraine." The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday that the United States had briefed European allies that Iran has delivered short-range short-range ballistic missiles to Russia. Iran rejected the acccusations later on Monday in a news conference. "We strongly reject the claims of Iran's role in exporting arms to one side of the war," Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanani said. "Iran's accusers are the ones who are among the biggest arms exporters to one side of the war," he added, reiterating that Tehran "is not part of the war" in Ukraine. Russia and Iran are both under international sanctions that restrict trade, but they have forged strong ties in various sectors, including military cooperation. The West has been warning Tehran against sending Russia missiles for months, and the EU has already repeatedly hit Iran with sanctions for supplying drones to Moscow for the war in Ukraine.