Poland: Influence on Iran limited after arms supplies to Russia

This week, Western powers imposed new sanctions targeting Iran's aviation sector, including state carrier Iran Air. Ukraine has warned that it may sever relations with Tehran.

"The problem for Poland is that Iran is already under such heavy sanctions that there's not much else we can do," Radoslaw Sikorski said in response to a question about whether Poland, a staunch supporter of Ukraine, would also sever relations with Iran.

He was speaking at a joint news conference with U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, who said on September 10 that Russia would begin firing Iranian missiles into Ukraine within weeks.

Western powers had warned Tehran against the move, and Sikorski noted that it came shortly after Iran elected Massoud Pezeshkian as president. He is seen as a reformer within the cleric-led state.

"I am disappointed because we have a new president of Iran. Presumably he is not as aggressive as the previous butcher from Tehran. But the policy of sending missiles and drones to be used against Ukraine and also it seems that the use of similar equipment against Israel continues," the Polish foreign minister said.

Poland has a long history with Iran, which took in thousands of Polish civilians during World War II.

But as a close U.S. ally, it has joined pressure campaigns against Iran, including agreeing to host a conference in 2019 promoted by then-President Donald Trump that put pressure on Tehran. | BGNES