LONDON (AP) — The United States and Britain formally accused Iran on Tuesday of supplying short-range ballistic missiles to Russia to use against Ukraine, announcing new sanctions on Moscow and Tehran before a joint visit to Kyiv by their top diplomats.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, speaking alongside British Foreign Secretary David Lammy during a visit to London, said Iran had ignored warnings that the transfer of such weapons would be a profound escalation of the conflict.
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U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, left, listens to Britain's Foreign Secretary David Lammy during a joint press conference in the Locarno room at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) in London, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali, Pool)
Secretary of State Antony Blinken, left and Britain's Foreign Secretary David Lammy shake hands at the end of their joint press conference in the Locarno room at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) in London, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali, Pool)
Secretary of State Antony Blinken, left, speaks to Britain's Foreign Secretary David Lammy as he arrives for a meeting at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) in London, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali, Pool)
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, left, talks to Britain's Foreign Secretary David Lammy as he arrives for a meeting at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) in London, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, Pool)
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, left, talks to Britain's Foreign Secretary David Lammy as he arrives for a meeting at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) in London, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, Pool)
Secretary of State Antony Blinken, right, listens to Britain's Foreign Secretary David Lammy, in a strategic dialogue meeting at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) in London, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, Pool)
Secretary of State Antony Blinken, right, arrives for a strategic dialogue meeting with Britain's Foreign Secretary David Lammy at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) in London, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali, Pool)
Secretary of State Antony Blinken, right, speaks during a strategic dialogue meeting with Britain's Foreign Secretary David Lammy at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) in London, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali, Pool)
Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks during a strategic dialogue meeting with Britain's Foreign Secretary David Lammy at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) in London, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali, Pool)
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, right, listens to Britain's Foreign Secretary David Lammy, in a strategic dialogue meeting at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) in London, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, Pool)
Secretary of State Antony Blinken, left speaks during a joint press conference with Britain's Foreign Secretary David Lammy in the Locarno room at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) in London, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, Pool)
Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks during a joint press conference with Britain's Foreign Secretary David Lammy in the Locarno room at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) in London, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali, Pool)
Secretary of State Antony Blinken, right, gestures as he participates with Britain's Foreign Secretary David Lammy, in a strategic dialogue meeting at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) in London, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, Pool)
He told reporters that dozens of Russian military personnel had been trained in Iran to use the Fath-360 close-range ballistic missile system, which has a maximum range of 75 miles (120 kilometers).
“Russia has now received shipments of these ballistic missiles and will likely use them within weeks in Ukraine, against Ukrainians,” Blinken said. “The supply of Iranian missiles enables Russia to use more of its arsenal for targets that are further from the front line.”
The West's allegations about the missile transfers come as the Kremlin is trying to repel Ukraine’s surprise offensive, which has claimed hundreds of square miles of territory in Russia’s Kursk region. The accusations could embolden Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to further ramp up pressure on the U.S. and other allies to allow Ukraine to use Western-supplied missiles to strike deep inside Russia and hit sites from which Moscow launches aerial attacks.
Iran's foreign ministry denies providing ballistic missiles to Russia, the semiofficial ISNA news agency reported.
“Publishing wrong and misleading reports about transferring Iranian weapons to some countries is merely an ugly propaganda and lie aimed at hiding illegal massive size weaponry support by the U.S. and some Western nations for genocide in the Gaza Strip," it quoted ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani as saying.
The U.S., U.K. and other Western allies are pressing for a cease-fire to end the devastating war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza and avoid attacks from Iranian proxies in the region escalating into a broader war.
Britain, France and Germany announced new sanctions Tuesday against Iran and Russia, calling the missile transfers “a direct threat to European security.” The penalties include the cancellation of air services agreements with Iran, which will restrict Iran Air’s ability to fly to the U.K. and Germany.
Britain also said it and the United States were sanctioning those involved in sending Iranian drones and missiles to Russia. They include two senior officers in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and a senior defense ministry official, as well as several businesses and four Russian cargo ships alleged to have transported supplies from Iran to Russia. Three Russian military units involved with aviation and aerospace also were sanctioned.
The U.S. Treasury and the State Department in the past few years have imposed economic sanctions on people and companies based in Iran, China, Russia, Turkey and other nations who officials allege are connected with the development of Iran’s drone program.
The sanctions on Iranian drone production tied to Russia’s invasion, dating to November 2022, were issued despite Iranian leaders’ denials that the country had sent them.
Sanctions, among other things, bar people and businesses from accessing property or financial assets held in the U.S. and prevent U.S. companies and citizens from doing business with them.
The announcement precedes a Blinken and Lammy visit Wednesday to Kyiv, where they will meet Zelenskyy and other officials to discuss bolstering the country's defenses. The rare joint visit was unusually announced in advance — a public signal of U.S-.U.K. support for Ukraine ahead of what’s likely to be a brutal winter of Russian attacks.
Asked whether the U.S. would allow weapons it supplied to be used to strike targets deeper inside Russia, Blinken said all use of weapons needed to be allied to a strategy.
He said one goal of the visit this week “is to hear directly from the Ukrainian leadership, including … President Zelenskyy, about exactly how the Ukrainians see their needs in this moment, toward what objectives, and what we can do to support those needs.”
President Joe Biden has allowed Ukraine to fire U.S.-provided missiles across the border into Russia in self-defense but largely limited the distance over concerns about further escalating the conflict. Blinken met Tuesday with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who will sit down with Biden at the White House on Friday.
“We will be listening intently to our Ukrainian partners, we will both be reporting back to the prime minister, to President Biden in the coming days, and I fully anticipate this is something they will take up when they meet on Friday,” Blinken said.
In the meantime, Ukraine is using its own weapons to hit targets deeper in Russia, launching on Tuesday one of the biggest drone attacks on Russian soil in the 2 1/2-year war to target multiple regions including Moscow.
Word of the alleged transfers from Iran began to emerge over the weekend. Lammy called them part of “a troubling pattern that we’re seeing. It is definitely a significant escalation.”
The U.S. and its allies have been warning Iran for months not to transfer ballistic missiles to Russia.
CIA Director William Burns, who was in London on Saturday for a joint appearance with his British intelligence counterpart, warned of the growing and “troubling” defense relationship involving Russia, China, Iran and North Korea, which he said threatens both Ukraine and Western allies in the Middle East.
The White House has repeatedly declassified and publicized intelligence findings that show North Korea has sent ammunition and missiles to Russia to use against Ukraine, while Iran also supplies Moscow with attack drones and has assisted the Kremlin with building a drone-manufacturing factory.
China has held back from providing Russians with weaponry but has surged sales to Russia of machine tools, microelectronics and other technology that Moscow in turn is using to produce missiles, tanks, aircraft and other weaponry, according to U.S. officials.
Associated Press writers Fatima Hussein in Washington and Nasser Karimi in Tehran contributed.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, left, listens to Britain's Foreign Secretary David Lammy during a joint press conference in the Locarno room at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) in London, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali, Pool)
Secretary of State Antony Blinken, left and Britain's Foreign Secretary David Lammy shake hands at the end of their joint press conference in the Locarno room at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) in London, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali, Pool)
Secretary of State Antony Blinken, left, speaks to Britain's Foreign Secretary David Lammy as he arrives for a meeting at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) in London, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali, Pool)
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, left, talks to Britain's Foreign Secretary David Lammy as he arrives for a meeting at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) in London, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, Pool)
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, left, talks to Britain's Foreign Secretary David Lammy as he arrives for a meeting at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) in London, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, Pool)
Secretary of State Antony Blinken, right, listens to Britain's Foreign Secretary David Lammy, in a strategic dialogue meeting at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) in London, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, Pool)
Secretary of State Antony Blinken, right, arrives for a strategic dialogue meeting with Britain's Foreign Secretary David Lammy at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) in London, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali, Pool)
Secretary of State Antony Blinken, right, speaks during a strategic dialogue meeting with Britain's Foreign Secretary David Lammy at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) in London, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali, Pool)
Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks during a strategic dialogue meeting with Britain's Foreign Secretary David Lammy at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) in London, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali, Pool)
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, right, listens to Britain's Foreign Secretary David Lammy, in a strategic dialogue meeting at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) in London, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, Pool)
Secretary of State Antony Blinken, left speaks during a joint press conference with Britain's Foreign Secretary David Lammy in the Locarno room at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) in London, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, Pool)
Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks during a joint press conference with Britain's Foreign Secretary David Lammy in the Locarno room at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) in London, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali, Pool)
Secretary of State Antony Blinken, right, gestures as he participates with Britain's Foreign Secretary David Lammy, in a strategic dialogue meeting at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) in London, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, Pool)
VALENCIA, Spain (AP) — Spain's King Felipe VI and top government officials were pelted with mud by a crowd of enraged survivors of Spain’s floods during the first visit Sunday by the country's leaders to the center of the suffering.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez was evacuated from the scene, according to Spanish broadcaster RTVE, when the official contingent started to walk the mud-covered streets of Paiporta, one of the hardest hit areas where over 60 people perished and thousands of lives were shattered.
Police had to step in with some officers on horseback to keep back the crowd of several dozens who hurled mud and wielded shovels and poles threateningly in the air.
"Get out! Get out!” and “Killers!” the crowd shouted among other insults. Bodyguards opened umbrellas to protect the royals and officials as protestors hurled mud at them.
After being forced to seek protection, the king remained calm and made several efforts to speak to individual residents. One person appeared to have wept on his shoulder. He shook the hand of a man.
It was an unprecedented incident for a Royal House that takes great care to craft an image of a monarch who is liked by the nation.
But the public rage over for the haphazard management of the crisis came to a boil on Sunday.
Queen Letizia and regional Valencia President Carlo Mazón were also in the contingent. The queen also spoke to women with small glops of mud on her hands and arms.
Over 200 people have died from Tuesday’s floods and thousands have had their homes destroyed by the wall of water and mud. At least 60 of the dead were in Paiporta, an epicenter of suffering.
Indignation of the management of Spain’s worst natural disaster in living memory started after the initial shock wore off.
The floods had started filling Paiporta with crushing waves when the regional officials issued an alert to mobile phones that sounded two hours too late.
And more anger has been fueled by the inability of officials to respond quickly to aftermath. Most of the cleanup of the layers and layers of mud and debris that has invaded countless homes has been done by residents and thousands of volunteers.
“We have lost everything!” someone shouted.
Felipe insisted on trying to dialogue with people as he tried to continue his visit. He spoke to several people, patting two young mean on their backs and sharing a quick embrace, with mud stains on his black rain coat.
According to a journalist for Spanish broadcaster RTVE near Felipe, one woman wept and told him she didn’t have food and diapers while another person said “don’t abandon us.”
But after approximately half an hour of tension, the monarchs got in officials cars and left with a mounted police escort.
People clean mud from a house affected by floods, in Algemesi, Spain, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
People walk through an area affected by floods, in Algemesi, Spain, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Spain's King Felipe VI, centre, leaves the scene after crowd of angry survivors of Spain's floods have tossed mud and shouted insults at the King and government officials when they made their first visit to one of the hardest hit towns. after floods in Paiporta near Valencia, Spain, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Hugo Torres)
Spain's King Felipe VI, centre right, speaks with protesters in Paiporta, near Valencia, Spain, A crowd of angry survivors of Spain's floods have tossed mud and shouted insults at Spain's King Felipe VI and government officials when they made their first visit to one of the hardest hit towns. (Biel Alino/EFE via AP)
Spain's King Felipe VI, centre, leaves the scene after crowd of angry survivors of Spain's floods have tossed mud and shouted insults at the King and government officials when they made their first visit to one of the hardest hit towns. after floods in Paiporta near Valencia, Spain, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Hugo Torres)
Spain's King Felipe VI, centre, speaks with protesters in Paiporta, near valencia, Spain, A crowd of angry survivors of Spain's floods have tossed mud and shouted insults at Spain's King Felipe VI and government officials when they made their first visit to one of the hardest hit towns. (Biel Alino/EFE via AP)
Spain's King Felipe VI, centre, speaks with protesters in Paiporta, near valencia, Spain, A crowd of angry survivors of Spain's floods have tossed mud and shouted insults at Spain's King Felipe VI and government officials when they made their first visit to one of the hardest hit towns. (Biel Alino/EFE via AP)
Spain's Queen Letizia speaks with people affected by the floods after crowd of angry survivors of Spain's floods tossed mud and shouted insults at the Spain's King Felipe and government officials when they made their first visit to one of the hardest hit towns. after floods in Paiporta near Valencia, Spain, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Hugo Torres)
Spain's Queen Letizia speaks with people affected by the floods in Paiporta, near Valencia, Spain, Sunday Nov. 3, 2024. A crowd of angry survivors of Spain's floods have tossed mud and shouted insults at Spain's King Felipe VI and government officials when they made their first visit to one of the hardest hit towns. (Ana Escobar/EFE via AP)
Spain's Queen Letizia speaks with people affected by the floods in Paiporta, near Valencia, Spain, Sunday Nov. 3, 2024. A crowd of angry survivors of Spain's floods have tossed mud and shouted insults at Spain's King Felipe VI and government officials when they made their first visit to one of the hardest hit towns. (Ana Escobar/EFE via AP)
Spain's King Felipe VI, right, speaks with protesters in Paiporta, near Valencia, Spain, A crowd of angry survivors of Spain's floods have tossed mud and shouted insults at Spain's King Felipe VI and government officials when they made their first visit to one of the hardest hit towns. (Ana Escobar/EFE via AP)
A woman cleans religious items in the Basilica of Saint James the Apostle, in Algemesi, Spain, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
A woman reacts in an area affected by floods, in Algemesi, Spain, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
People clean mud from a street affected by floods, in Algemesi, Spain, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
People clean mud from a street affected by floods, in Algemesi, Spain, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
A blanket covered in mud is pictured in an area affected by floods, in Algemesi, Spain, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Spanish soldiers walk in front of the Basilica of Saint James the Apostle in an area affected by floods, in Algemesi, Spain, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Items covered in mud are pictured in an area affected by floods, in Algemesi, Spain, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
A doll covered in mud is pictured in an area affected by floods, in Algemesi, Spain, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
A religious image and various personal belongings covered by mud are pictured inside a suitcase, in Algemesi, Spain, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Religious garments are laid out to dry by the altar of the Basilica of Saint James the Apostle, in Algemesi, Spain, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
A rescue dog looks for victims after floods in Paiporta near Valencia, Spain, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Hugo Torres)
A rescue worker checks a car after floods in Paiporta near Valencia, Spain, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Hugo Torres)
Rescue workers pass a destroyed half buried car after floods in Paiporta near Valencia, Spain, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Hugo Torres)