Ukrainian foreign minister urges EU to impose sanctions on Iran

By Gozde Bayar

ANKARA (AA) - Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba on Monday called on the EU to impose sanctions on Iran “for providing Russia with drones.”

“I’m probably the first foreign minister to address EU FAC (Foreign Affairs Council) from a bomb shelter because of the air raids siren. Requested more air defense & supply of ammo,” Kuleba said on Twitter.

He also called on the EU to impose sanctions on Iran for providing Russia with drones. “9th EU sanctions package on Russia must be strong,” he added.

His statement came a few hours after Kyiv was hit by swarms of kamikaze drones, leaving at least four people dead.

On Monday, Iran again refuted Western media reports about Russia using Iranian-made drones in Ukraine, as Moscow ups the ante with a series of strikes on Ukrainian cities in recent weeks.

According to reports in Western media, citing the US and European officials, Iran has agreed to supply drones and surface-to-surface missiles to Russia intended for use in the Ukraine war.

Last month, Ukraine announced the downgrading of its ties with Iran and stripped the Iranian envoy in Kyiv of his accreditation over what it called an "unfriendly" decision by Tehran to supply drones to Russia.

Iran regretted the Ukrainian decision and vowed an "appropriate" response while urging Kyiv to "avoid being influenced by third parties that seek to destroy ties" between them.