Australia slaps sanctions on five Iranian officials linked to country's missile arsenal

The Australian government announced today it is imposing targeted financial sanctions and travel bans on five Iranian individuals who are part of the country's missile program deployed against Israel.

On October 1 Iran launched 180 missiles against Israel, in what the federal government says is a threat to regional and international security.

Iran said the barrage was retaliation for a series of devastating blows Israel has landed in recent weeks against the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah in Lebanon, which has been firing rockets into Israel since the war in Gaza began.

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"Iran's proxies continue to launch daily attacks across the region, using missiles and other military equipment provided by Iran," Foreign Minister Penny Wong said.

"Iran's delivery of ballistic missiles to Russia last month to aid its war against Ukraine further demonstrates Iran's destabilising role."

Today's sanctions target two directors and a senior official in Iran's Aerospace Industries Organization, the director of the Shahid Bagheri Industrial Group, and the commercial director of the Shahid Hemmat Industrial Group.

The Albanese Government has now sanctioned 200 Iran-linked individuals and entities, including almost 100 individuals and groups associated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

The Australian sanctions are being imposed alongside similar measures by the US and Britain.

On Monday, the European Union on slapped sanctions on Iran's deputy defence minister, senior members of its paramilitary Revolutionary Guard and three airlines over allegations that they supplied drones, missiles and other equipment to Russia for use in its war against Ukraine.

- With Associated Press