Iran’s top diplomat in the UK has been summoned to the Foreign Office over accusations Tehran supplied ballistic missiles to Russia for use in Ukraine.
Charge d’affaires Ali Matinfar was summoned on Wednesday on the orders of Foreign Secretary David Lammy, who is currently on a joint visit to Ukraine with US secretary of state Antony Blinken.
During a visit to London on Tuesday, Mr Blinken accused Tehran of providing Russia with ballistic missiles to use against Ukraine, saying it would “constitute a dramatic escalation” and warning of further sanctions against Iran.
Confirming the decision to summon Mr Matinfar on Wednesday, a Foreign Office spokesperson said: “The UK Government was clear in that any transfer of ballistic missiles to Russia would be seen as a dangerous escalation and would face a significant response.
“The summons follows yesterday’s announcement where the UK, alongside international partners, outlined significant new measures against Iran and Russia, including cancelling our bilateral air services arrangement with Iran.
“The United Kingdom has also sanctioned a number of key individuals and organisations for their involvement in Iran’s military support to Russia, including those involved in weapons supply chains that enable Russia’s illegal war in Ukraine.”
Iran, as it has with previous US intelligence findings, has denied providing Russia with weapons for its war in Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Western governments continue to face calls from Kyiv to allow Ukraine to use long-range weapons to strike targets within Russia.
Mr Lammy would not be drawn on whether Ukraine would be given permission to use UK-supplied Storm Shadow missiles on Russian soil, while Mr Blinken told Sky News the US was not ruling it out.
