LONDON: The United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday accused Iran of supplying short-range ballistic missiles to Russia, which are expected to be deployed against Ukraine within weeks.
During a press conference in London, Blinken said that the Fath-360 missiles, with a range of 75 miles (120 kilometers), have already been shipped to Russia. “Dozens of Russian military personnel have trained in Iran using these missiles,” Blinken said.
Blinken warned that Iran’s actions represent a significant escalation and vowed that the US and its allies would impose new sanctions on Iran, including targeting the state carrier Iran Air.
“We have warned Iran privately that taking this step would constitute a dramatic escalation,” Blinken said. He also noted that Iran’s recent behavior contrasts sharply with its public efforts to restore engagement with Europe and seek sanctions relief. “Destabilizing actions like these will achieve exactly the opposite,” he added.
Blinken and UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy announced plans to undertake a joint visit to Ukraine later this week. This will be their first joint trip to Kyiv in recent years. “We are the closest of allies, so I am delighted that we will travel together, demonstrating our commitment to Ukraine,” Lammy said.
Blinken’s trip to London precedes a visit by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer to the White House on Friday. Starmer’s visit marks his second trip to Washington since his Labour Party won the July elections, ending a 14-year Conservative leadership.
Starmer’s Labour government has continued the previous Conservative administration’s staunch support for Ukraine. Recently, London announced it would send 650 new specialist missile systems to enhance Ukrainian air defenses, addressing criticisms from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky regarding the pace of Western military support.
While the US and UK maintain a strong partnership, Starmer has adopted a more critical stance on Israel compared to his Conservative predecessors. The Labour government recently imposed restrictions on some weapons sales to Israel, citing concerns over potential violations of international humanitarian law.
Despite this, the US has refrained from criticizing the UK’s decision, noting that Britain has its own processes for such assessments.
