EU sanctions Iran's defence minister, IRGC over drones and missiles

Shafaq News/ The European Union on Friday imposed sanctions on Iran's defence minister, Mohammad Reza Ashtiani, and the country's Revolutionary Guards for sending missiles and drones being used against Israel and Ukraine and in the Red Sea.

The high-profile measures also targeted the leader of the Guard's Qods force for his role in transferring missiles used by Iran's Hezbollah proxy militia against Israel, and by Huthis firing from Yemen.

A key armed forces command centre and an electronics company were also sanctioned.

Last week, EU governments agreed to put nine Iranian entities, including Ashtiani, on its sanctions list for supplying drones to Russia, which Moscow uses in its war against Ukraine, EU diplomats said.

The agreement, struck among ambassadors of EU governments in Brussels, called the COREPER, will be made public after endorsement by EU foreign ministers meeting on Monday.

The sanctions include travel bans for individuals, asset freeze for individuals and entities and a prohibition on making funds or economic resources available to those listed.