Ukrainian parliament approves sanctions on Iran

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Ukrainian parliament on Monday approved a resolution submitted by President Volodymyr Zelensky to impose sanctions on Iran for a period of 50 years, over a day removed from Russia’s “largest-ever” drone attack on Kyiv using Iranian-made UAVs.

Russia launched a total of 35 Shahed-136/131 kamikaze drones towards Ukraine in the early hours of Monday, with Ukrainian air forces successfully shooting down 29 of the UAVs.

The Ukrainian air forces shot down 58 out of 59 Iranian-made drones fired by Russia on Sunday, with at least 40 of them intercepted in Kyiv. The strike was dubbed the “largest-ever” Russian drone attack on the Ukrainian capital using Shahed UAVs since the start of the war.

The Ukrainian parliament adopted the resolution after a total of 328 lawmakers voted in favor, according to a statement from MP Yaroslav Zhelezniak.

“Complete ban on trade operations, termination of the transit of resources, flights and transportation in the territory of Ukraine, and prevention of the withdrawal of assets by residents of Iran,” are among the measures Kyiv will take against Tehran through the resolution, according to Ukrainian state media.

Iran has been accused of supplying Russia with drones for use against Ukraine, leading to a barrage of international sanctions and condemnations. Tehran has repeatedly denied involvement in the Russia-Ukraine war, but has admitted to supplying Moscow with drones before its invasion of Ukraine.

Zelensky on Wednesday slammed Iran for siding with the “evil” Russian state in its war on Ukraine and called on Iranians able to influence government decisions to refrain from siding with Moscow. In response, Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani said the Ukrainian president’s comments were a “political show” echoing “baseless allegations” against Tehran.