US to impose new sanctions on Iran for backing Russian invasion of Ukraine

The United States will soon impose new sanctions on Iran over its backing for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the White House says.

“In response to Iran’s ongoing support for Russia’s brutal war, we will be imposing additional sanctions on Iran in the coming days, and we are prepared to go further if Iran sells ballistic missiles to Russia,” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby tells journalists.

“Iran is not helping Russia for free. In return for Iran’s support, Russia has been offering Tehran unprecedented defense cooperation. So in total Iran is seeking billions of dollars’ worth of military equipment from Russia,” Kirby says.

He also says that while Iran has provided Russia with significant numbers of drones, guided aerial bombs an artillery ammunition, Washington has yet to confirm that any ballistic missiles have moved from Iran to Russia.

Reuters exclusively reported earlier this week that Iran has provided Russia with a large number of powerful surface-to-surface ballistic missiles, citing six sources, deepening the military cooperation between the two US-sanctioned countries.