As Russia, Iran near a new treaty, US says will impose fresh sanctions over missile sale

At a time when Russia and Iran are nearing the signing of a new treaty, the United States has announced a fresh round of sanctions.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday said Iran has supplied ballistic missiles to Russia and the United States would impose sanctions on Iran over such supplies . He said that Russia is expected to use these Iranian missiles in the war on Ukraine in the coming days.

“The United States will be announcing further sanctions on Iran later today, including additional measures on Iran Air. We expect allies and partners will be announcing their own new measures on Iran as well,” said Blinken at a joint press conference with British Foreign Secretary David Lammy in London.

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Following Blinken's announcement, the United Kingdom, France, and Germany also announced sanctions against Iran over the supply of missiles to Russia .

In a joint statement, the British, French, and German foreign ministers said they would slap sanctions on Iran Air and on entities and individuals associated with the supply of missiles to Russia.

In recent years, Iran and Russia have come closer due to their shared enmity with the United States. Both of these countries are opposed to the United States and seek to undermine it. Along with fellow authoritarian regimes in China and North Korea, they have formed an anti-United States bloc .

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Now, Russia and Iran are about to formalise their close relationship, according to top Russian official Sergei Shoigu.

Russia has nearly completed the required procedures to sign a new bilateral treaty with Iran soon, said Shoigu, the Secretary of the Security Council of Russia, as per TASS news agency.

Shoigu said, “We look forward to the imminent conclusion of a new basic interstate treaty. We are completing the internal procedures necessary for the preparation of documents for signing by the presidents.”

Separately, White House National Security Spokesperson John Kirby said that the new US sanctions would show Iran that it would face economic costs and warned that the United States would impose further measures if warranted, as per Reuters.

Even as Shoigu has admitted being close to signing a treaty with Iran, little is known about the nature of the deal.

In 2001, Iran and Russia signed a 20-year comprehensive agreement on security. The deal in the making is expected to be a follow-up. While the specifics are not known, the treaty is expected to see sunlight in the “very near future” and will reflect the “unprecedented upswing” between the countries, according to Breaking Defense.

Mohammed Soliman, the Director of Strategic Technologies and Cyber Security Program at the Middle East Institute, told the outlet that the deal could formalise their shared hostility to the United States.

“A comprehensive agreement might formalize closer political ties, potentially strengthening their shared opposition to the West, particularly in light of the Ukraine conflict and sanctions. While not explicitly mentioned, the agreement could lead to further collaboration on military technology or intelligence sharing,” said Soliman.