By AFP – Agence France Presse
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The UK government on Wednesday said it had summoned Iran’s charge d’affaires to warn that Tehran would face a “significant response” if it continued to supply Russia with missiles to use in Ukraine.
Foreign minister David Lammy — currently in Kyiv on a joint trip with his US counterpart Antony Blinken — ordered Ali Matinfar to be called in over the transfers.
On Tuesday, Blinken said Iran had repeatedly ignored warnings not to supply Moscow with the short-range weapons, which he said could be used “within weeks” against Ukrainian forces.
“The UK Government was clear that any transfer of ballistic missiles to Russia would be seen as a dangerous escalation and would face a significant response,” a foreign ministry statement read.
The United States and the so-called E3 powers of the UK, France and Germany have announced new sanctions against Iran in response to the transfers, which risks escalating the two-and-a-half year conflict.
Measures include banning national carrier Iran Air from their airspace. A number of individuals and companies involved in the transfer have also been hit with restrictions.
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