Iran summons 4 European envoys over accusations it supplied ballistic missiles to Russia

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran’s government on Thursday summoned the envoys of Britain, France, Germany and the Netherlands over their accusations that Tehran supplied short-range ballistic missiles to Russia to use against Ukraine.

State-run IRNA news agency reported that the country’s foreign ministry summoned the envoys separately on Thursday to strongly condemn the accusations.

IRNA said the ministry also condemned Britain, France, and Germany for issuing a joint statement against Iran and called it an “unconventional and non-constructive statement.”

The joint statement, issued Tuesday, condemned the alleged transfer of missiles, calling it “an escalation by both Iran and Russia” and “a direct threat to European security.”

The three countries also announced new sanctions against Iran, including the cancellation of air services agreements with Iran, which will restrict Iran Air’s ability to fly to the U.K. and Europe.

IRNA said that Iran’s foreign ministry told the envoys that their insistence on taking such positions is seen as part of the West’s ongoing hostile policy against the Iranian people. The actions will “be met with an appropriate response from the Islamic Republic of Iran.”

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said this week that Iran had ignored warnings that the transfer of such weapons would be a profound escalation of the conflict.

He told reporters during a trip to London that dozens of Russian military personnel had been trained in Iran to use the Fath-360 close-range ballistic missile system, which has a maximum range of 75 miles (120 kilometers).