The Foreign Office did note that Iran’s repeated development and testing of ballistic missiles violates the UN Security Council resolution banning them from doing so.
Keeping the EU sanctions would reflect Western efforts to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons and the means to deliver them despite the collapse of the 2015 deal.
Kyiv and its allies say Iran has been supplying Russia with arms, including hundreds of drones, since Moscow invaded Ukraine last year.
The Council said “Restrictive measures now apply to a total of 216 individuals and 37 entities."
Another novel tactic is a government order to both private and public sectors not to provide services to "violators." Warnings of heavy fines and even imprisonment have been issued.
This means a freeze on any assets they hold inside the EU and a ban on travel to the bloc. EU companies are also banned from making funds available to those under sanctions.
Iranian media reported that Moscow expressed readiness to invest in Iran's steel, oil and petrochemical industries.
The US recently targeted Iran's unmanned aerial vehicle industry over its supply of drones to Russia.
After US sanctions were imposed on Iran in 2018, Iranian exports have taken significant hits worldwide.
Iran's arming of Russia crossed a red line and Tehran appears to believe it cannot go back - instead it's increasing its cooperation with Moscow.
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