TEHRAN   -  Iran has vowed to respond to fresh sanctions imposed by Britain, France and Germany over what they said was its supply of short-range missiles to Russia for use in Ukraine.

“This action of the three European countries is the continuation of the hostile policy of the West and economic terrorism against the people of Iran, which will face the appropriate and proportionate action of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” foreign ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani said in a statement late Tuesday.

The three governments had announced they would take steps to cancel air services agreements with Iran and “work towards imposing sanctions on Iran Air”.

“Any claim that the Islamic Republic of Iran has sold ballistic missiles to the Russian Federation is completely baseless and false,” Kanani said.

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi made similar remarks in a post on social media platform X, saying: “Iran has not delivered ballistic missiles to Russia. “Once again, US and E3 (the three European governments) acted on faulty intelligence and flawed logic,” he added. “Sanctions are not the solution, but part of the problem.”

IRAN PRESIDENT OFFICIALLY WELCOMED BY IRAQI PM

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has been officially welcomed by Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani in the neighboring country’s capital.

The welcoming ceremony was held on Wednesday morning upon the arrival of President Pezeshkian at the Baghdad International Airport.

The two top officials reviewed the guard of honor after the anthems of the two countries were played.

After the ceremony, President Pezeshkian will meet with his Iraqi counterpart Abdullatif Rashid at the presidential palace. Then, Pezeshkian will hold talks with the Iraqi prime minister, and the two sides’ delegates will start meeting. President Pezeshkian’s trip to Baghdad is his first foreign visit since he took office as the new Iranian president in August.