Ukraine wants to cut diplomatic ties with Iran after drone attacks
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Salma Hossein
- . October 19, 2022
- . Update: November 11, 2022 1:00 am
Ukraine’s foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba, wants to cut diplomatic ties with the Islamic Republic of Iran after Russia launched dozens of Iranian drones on targets in Ukraine, striking energy infrastructure and killing civilians.
The foreign minister said on Tuesday that he was submitting a proposal to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to formally cut diplomatic ties with Iran after Russia attacked Ukraine using dozens of “kamikaze” drones.
Kyiv said that the attacks were carried out using Iranian-made Shahed-136 drones. Kuleba said that Kyiv was sure they were Iranian drones and would be ready to provide a “bag of evidence” with European powers in doubt.
Kuleba reportedly said, “Iran bears full responsibility for the destruction of relations with Ukraine. I am submitting to the president a proposition to sever diplomatic ties with Iran.”
Read | Iran Denies As Confirmed Reports Tell It Supplied Drones For the Russian-Ukraine War
He also said that he had urged the European Union to impose sanctions on Iran “for helping Russia to kill Ukrainians.” He further said, “The actions of Iran are vile and deceitful.”
Earlier, the Ukrainian military said that Iranian drones and missiles targeted towns and cities across Ukraine. The Ukrainian defence ministry also said that the military shot down 37 Iranian Shahed-136 drones.
Denmark, Estonia, France and Germany also called for sanctions against the Islamic Republic over the supply of Iranian drones to Russia.
The EU has already imposed fresh sanctions against 11 Iranians and four institutions over Iran’s crackdown on anti-hijab and anti-government protests. The EU accused Iran of violently attacking peaceful protesters in Iran.
Protests started in Iran a month ago over the death of a 22-year-old Iranian Kurdish woman, Mahsa Amini. Many people took to the streets in September to protest her death. Human rights activists said that Iranian morality police beat Amini with a baton because she was wearing a loose Hijab. However, Iranian authorities said that she suffered a heart attack.
