Iran vs. Europe: Missile sanctions spark fierce showdown

Iran on Wednesday issued a strong warning against the new sanctions imposed by the U.S., Germany, UK, and France, following allegations from U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken that Tehran had supplied ballistic missiles to Russia for use in the Ukraine war.

Blinken described the transfer as a "dramatic escalation," warning that the growing cooperation between Russia and Iran poses a significant threat to European security. “This development demonstrates how Iran's destabilizing influence extends far beyond the Middle East,” Blinken stated, ahead of a joint visit to Kyiv with British Foreign Secretary David Lammy.

In response, Iran dismissed the accusations as propaganda, claiming they were a distraction from Western military support for Israel in its conflict with Gaza. Tehran labeled the sanctions as "economic terrorism" and vowed to take "appropriate and proportionate action." The Kremlin also denied the missile transfer, calling the allegations "baseless."

* Ynet contributed to this article.