Fake news reports have claimed, based on anonymous sources, that Iran has delivered ballistic missiles to Russia for use in the war in Ukraine.
Iran strongly denies to have sent any such missiles. Ukraine has not reported the impact of any such missile on its territory . There is zero evidence that any missile transfer has happened.
In September the U.S. and the UK imposed new sanctions on Iran mostly effecting its civil air line traffic. Now the EU is following with similar sanctions. These sanctions are claimed to be in punishment for missile transfers – which did not happen.
Outside of UN Security Council decisions all economic sanctions like travel impediments are in opposition to the rules of the Word Trade Organization and have no legal basis.
Let's follow the trail:
The first fake scare about Iranian missile transfer to Russia appeared in February 21. Reuters headlined:
Exclusive: Iran sends Russia hundreds of ballistic missiles
DUBAI, Feb 21 (Reuters) – Iran has provided Russia with a large number of powerful surface-to-surface ballistic missiles, six sources told Reuters, deepening the military cooperation between the two U.S.-sanctioned countries.
Iran's provision of around 400 missiles includes many from the Fateh-110 family of short-range ballistic weapons, such as the Zolfaghar, three Iranian sources said. This road-mobile missile is capable of striking targets at a distance of between 300 and 700 km (186 and 435 miles), experts say.
…
The shipments began in early January after a deal was finalised in meetings late last year between Iranian and Russian military and security officials that took place in Tehran and Moscow, one of the Iranian sources said.An Iranian military official – who, like the other sources, asked not to be identified because of the sensitivity of the information – said there had been at least four shipments of missiles and there would be more in the coming weeks. He declined to provide further details. Another senior Iranian official said some of the missiles were sent to Russia by ship via the Caspian Sea, while others were transported by plane.
"There will be more shipments," the second Iranian official said. "There is no reason to hide it. We are allowed to export weapons to any country that we wish to." … A fourth source, familiar with the matter, confirmed that Russia had received a large number of missiles from Iran recently, without providing further details.
On March 15 the leaders of the U.S. controlled G-7 group of western countries reacted to the Reuters report:
We are extremely concerned about reports that Iran is considering transferring ballistic missiles and related technology to Russia after having supplied the Russian regime with UAVs, which are used in relentless attacks against the civilian population in Ukraine.
…
Were Iran to proceed with providing ballistic missiles or related technology to Russia, we are prepared to respond swiftly and in a coordinated manner including with new and significant measures against Iran.
Nothing came of that. Not one Iranian missile appeared in Russia or Ukraine and no further statements were made.
However, a Reuters piece in August 2024 noted in an aside:
Reuters reported in February on deepening military cooperation between Iran and Russia and on Moscow's interest in Iranian surface-to-surface missiles.
Sources told the news agency at the time that around 400 Fateh-110 longer-range surface-to-surface ballistic missiles had been delivered. But the European intelligence sources told Reuters that according to their information, no transfer had happened yet.
Ukrainian authorities have not publicly reported finding any Iranian missile remnants or debris during the war.
The Reuters February 21 'exclusive', based on six anonymous sources, had turned out to be completely fake news. One wonders if those "three Iranian sources" Reuters had claimed to have talked to spoke Hebrew.
The shame over having issued a fake report did not prevent Reuters from issuing a similar fake report, covering a different type of missiles, just six month after the first one.
Exclusive: Iran to deliver hundreds of ballistic missiles to Russia soon, intel sources say
Aug 9 (Reuters) – Dozens of Russian military personnel are being trained in Iran to use the Fath-360 close-range ballistic missile system, two European intelligence sources told Reuters, adding that they expected the imminent delivery of hundreds of the satellite-guided weapons to Russia for its war in Ukraine.
Russian defence ministry representatives are believed to have signed a contract on Dec. 13 in Tehran with Iranian officials for the Fath-360 and another ballistic missile system built by Iran's government-owned Aerospace Industries Organization (AIO) called the Ababil, according to the intelligence officials, who requested anonymity in order to discuss sensitive matters.
Citing multiple confidential intelligence sources, the officials said that Russian personnel have visited Iran to learn how to operate the Fath-360 defence system, which launches missiles with a maximum range of 120 km (75 miles) and a warhead of 150 kg. One of the sources said that that "the only next possible" step after training would be actual delivery of the missiles to Russia.
The usual back and forth followed with the U.S. threatening sanctions and Iran denying that any transfers were taking place:
A spokesman for the U.S. National Security Council said the United States and its NATO allies and G7 partners "are prepared to deliver a swift and severe response if Iran were to move forward with such transfers."
…
Iran's permanent mission to the United Nations in New York said in a statement that the Islamic Republic had forged a long-term strategic partnership with Russia in various areas, including military cooperation."Nevertheless, from an ethical standpoint, Iran refrains from transferring any weapons, including missiles, that could potentially be used in the conflict with Ukraine until it is over," the statement said.
A month after the second Reuters missile fantasy report the U.S. decided to take up the theme. An 'Exclusive' Wall Street Journal piece said:
U.S. Tells Allies Iran Has Sent Ballistic Missiles to Russia
European officials say Europe and U.S. are working on a sanctions response to Iran’s move
Updated Sept. 6, 2024 5:05 pm ET
Iran has sent short-range ballistic missiles to Russia, according to U.S. and European officials, a move that gives Moscow another potent military tool in its war against Ukraine and follows stern Western warnings not to provide those arms to Moscow.
A day later Natasha Bertrand, the spokes' spokesperson at CNN, 'confirmed' those claims:
Iran recently transferred short-range ballistic missiles to Russia to use in the war against Ukraine, according to two sources familiar with the intelligence, completing a delivery that US and Western officials had warned was in the works for almost a year.
The claim that a missile transfer deal was 'in the works for almost a year' is weird. The first Reuters report in February was about medium range Fateh 110 missiles while the August report was about short range Fateh 360s. Those are two completely different systems. How do they constitute one deal?
The vague 'intelligence' claims were followed by more threats of sanctions:
National Security Council spokesperson Sean Savett told CNN in a statement that “any transfer of Iranian ballistic missiles to Russia would represent a dramatic escalation in Iran’s support” for the Kremlin in its invasion of Ukraine.
“We have been warning of the deepening security partnership between Russia and Iran since the outset of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and are alarmed by these reports. We and our partners have made clear both at the G7 and at the NATO summits this summer that together we are prepared to deliver significant consequences,” Savett said.
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Iran’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations denied the transfer had been carried out in statement to CNN.“Iran’s position vis-à-vis the Ukraine conflict remains unchanged. Iran considers the provision of military assistance to the parties engaged in the conflict—which leads to increased human casualties, destruction of infrastructure, and a distancing from ceasefire negotiations—to be inhumane. Thus, not only does Iran abstain from engaging in such actions itself, but it also calls upon other countries to cease the supply of weapons to the sides involved in the conflict,” the statement said.
The official Iranian denial did not help. Just three days later the U.S. and UK imposed new sanctions on Iran:
The UK government is today announcing new and significant measures against Iran and Russia, following the Iranian regime’s transfer of ballistic missiles to Russia for use on the battlefield in Ukraine.
In coordination with our international partners, the UK will cancel its bilateral air services arrangements with Iran, which will restrict Iran Air’s ability to fly in to the UK.
The NY Times stenographed the U.S. version:
Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken accused Iran on Tuesday of shipping short-range ballistic missiles to Russia for use in Ukraine and said that the Biden administration was imposing more sanctions against Tehran. The penalties include measures against Iran Air, the country’s main airline, he said.
Russia is likely to use the missiles “within weeks in Ukraine against Ukrainians,” Mr. Blinken said at a news conference in London with the British foreign secretary, David Lammy. He added that dozens of Russian soldiers have been training in Iran to use the missiles, the Fath-360 model with a range of 75 miles, and that the United States had shared intelligence in recent days with its allies on Iran’s aid.
Five weeks later zero Iranian missiles have appeared in the skies over Ukraine.
Still, the European Poodles also made noise about imposing their own missile sanctions over Iran.
Iran was aghast:
Iran has condemned planned EU sanctions in response to its alleged delivery of ballistic missiles to Russia, in a social media post by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.
"I clearly said, and reiterate once again: we've NOT provided ballistic missiles to Russia," Araghchi posted on X. "If Europe needs a case to appease Israel's blackmail, better find another story."
The EU member states plan to impose the new sanctions on Monday.
Seyed Abbas Araghchi @araghchi – 22:58 UTC · Sep 10, 2024
Once again, US and E3 act on faulty intelligence and flawed logic
– Iran has NOT delivered ballistic missiles to Russia. Period
– Sanction addicts should ask themselves: how is Iran able to make & supposedly sell sophisticated arms?Sanctions r NOT a solution, but part of problem
Seyed Abbas Araghchi @araghchi – 6:11 UTC · Oct 13, 2024
In a meeting with @JosepBorrellF and @enriquemora in NY, I said the following:
1- Iran-Russia military cooperation is not new; has a history, long before the Ukrainian crisis began.
2- Some Europeans have provided Israeli regime with all kinds of sophisticated weapons, and anxiously engaged in military operation against Iran.
3- US Maximum Pressure policy is still in place, and business community in Europe follows OFAC instructions in full.
I clearly said, and reiterate once again: we've NOT provided ballistic missiles to Russia. If Europe needs a case to appease Israel's blackmail, better find another story.
Today, despite those vehement Iranian denials, the European Poodles imposed additional sanctions on Iran:
EU includes Iran Air in sanctions over missile transfer to Russia
Oct 14 (Reuters) – The European Union agreed on Monday to impose sanctions on seven people and seven organisations, including airline Iran Air, for their links to Iranian transfers of ballistic missiles to Russia.
The listings also include Saha Airlines and Mahan Air and Iran's Deputy Defence Minister Seyed Hamzeh Ghalandari.
Last month, the United States, citing intelligence it said had been shared with allies, said Russia had received ballistic missiles from Iran for its war in Ukraine.
Washington immediately imposed sanctions on ships and companies it said were involved in weapons transfers. Following the U.S. allegations, Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian said his government had not transferred any weapons to Russia since it took office in August.
Russia is mass producing its own long range and short missile and neither of the Iranian systems, the Fateh 110 or the Fateh 360, are superior to them.
Just yesterday the former president of Ukrainian Vladimir Zelensky claimed that Russia, within one week, had launched more then 900 glide bombs onto Ukraine:
Over the past week, Russia has fired hundreds of bombs and dozens of missiles at Ukraine. The Russian invaders also attacked Ukraine with 400 drones, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
This week alone, the Russians used about 900 guided aerial bombs, more than 40 missiles, and 400 attack drones of various types against Ukraine.
The most recent versions of the Russian glide bombs (the equivalent if the U.S. JDAM) can hit targets at a distance of some 80 kilometer from its launch point. It thus has about the same range as the Fateh 360 missiles Iran is claimed to have transferred to Russia. The Russian glide bombs carry about 1 ton of explosives while a Fateh 360 carries some 150 kilogram.
Why would Russia need Fatah 360 missiles when it is mass producing and using bombs of superior quality? Why would Russia need Fateh 110 missiles (range 300km, warhead 500kg) when it is mass producing and using Iskander missiles (range 500kg, warhead 750 kg) of superior capability?
The Reuters report in February 2024 about the transfer of Fateh 110 missiles had turned to have been fake.
The Reuters report in August 2024 about the transfer of Fateh 360 missiles was most likely also fake. Iran has strongly denied any such transfer at the highest level and zero such missiles have turned up in Russia or Ukraine. There is in fact no need for Russia to acquire such missiles as its own ones have at least the same capabilities.
In September the U.S picked up from the fake Reuters reports and claimed to have its own intelligence about an alleged missile transfer. It did not provide any evidence to support such claims.
The U.S. and the UK immediately imposed sanctions of Iran. The EU followed a month later. The sanctions imposed will (again) ban flights by Iranian airlines from and to Europe.
This will be of significant inconvenience for Iranian as well as European travelers.
These new sanctions are, despite opposing claims, obviously not related to any missile transfers between Iran and Russia as no such transfers have taken place.
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is likely correct when he asserts that these sanctions are happening solely "to appease Israel's blackmail".
However it is wrong to solely speak of 'Israel's blackmail'. This blackmailing of Europe is in fact done by the U.S in collaboration with Israel just as 'Israeli crimes' are in fact 'U.S.-Israeli crimes'.
"When we talk about 'Israeli crimes,' the framing is misleading, because they are U.S.-Israeli crimes. Whatever Israel does is either implicitly or explicitly authorized by the United States, which provides economic, diplomatic, military, and ideological support, and U.S. presidents can alter Israeli policy and restrain Israel’s violence when they choose to do so.
When we talk about Israel, we should remember that in an important sense we are talking about ourselves."
– Noam Chomsky