On 14 October 2024, the EU designated seven individuals and seven entities responsible for the development and transfer of drones, missiles and related technology to Russia, and to armed groups and entities undermining peace and security in the Middle East and the Red Sea region. These include in particular three Iranian airlines, Iran Air, Mahan Air and Saha Airlines. The Regulation imposing the EU designations is available here.
The individuals and entities are subject to asset freezes and travel bans. Furthermore, it is prohibited to provide funds or economic resources, directly or indirectly, to or for the benefit of these listed individuals and entities.
The designated entities are as follows:
- 3 Iranian airlines (Saha Airlines, Mahan Air and Iran Air), responsible for the transfer of Iran-made drones and related technologies and components to Russia;
- 2 procurement firms (Basamad Electronic Pouya Engineering Co. and Teyf Tadbir Engineering Company), responsible for the supply of such materials to Russia; and
- 2 companies that produce rocket and missile propellant (Iran Alumina Company and Shahid Haj Ali Movahed Research Center).
In addition, the seven individuals designated are the Iranian Deputy Defence Minister, officials of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Qods Force, IRGC Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, and IRGC Aerospace Force Space Division, and the managing directors of EU-listed companies Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industries and Aerospace Industries Organization.
This action follows actions already taken by the US and UK in September in connection with these activities (please see our earlier blog post here). The UK also designated seven individuals and two entities at the same time as the EU, including the Iranian Space Agency (although notably, this does not include the three airlines designated in the EU). The notice imposing the UK designations is available here.
