TEHRAN, November 20 (MNA) – The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran has summoned the British chargé d'affaires in protest against the sanctions imposed by London against the country's shipping company.The European Union and the UK on Monday imposed sanctions on the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL) and several other entities and individuals over accusations of supplying ballistic missiles to Russia.

The UK also announced sanctions against Iran, freezing the assets of IRISL and national airline, Iran Air, under the pretext of the same allegation.

Reacting to the issue on Tuesday night, Iran’s Foreign Ministry summoned the British chargé d’affaires, informing him that Iran would respond to such irrational behaviors.

The foreign ministry stressed that Iran's legitimate and legal cooperation with other countries in the fields of defense and security is not against any third party and that the illegal interference of certain European countries, including the UK, in Iran's defense cooperation with other countries is not acceptable at all.

The measure taken by the UK was contrary to international law and violated the principle of freedom of navigation and maritime trade, an Iranian foreign ministry official told the UK diplomat.

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