The European Council on Thursday adopted new sanctions against Iran in response to "serious human rights violations" and Tehran's ongoing support for Russia in its war in Ukraine.
The EU Council said the measures target 15 additional individuals and six entities. Those sanctioned include Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni, members of the judicial system including Prosecutor General Mohammad Movahedi-Azad and presiding judge Iman Afshari, as well as commanders of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and senior officers of the police and Law Enforcement Force (LEF).
Several entities are also listed, including the Iranian Audio-Visual Media Regulatory Authority (SATRA), Seraj Cyberspace Organisation, the Working Group for Determining Instances of Criminal Content (WGDICC), and multiple software companies.
“Restrictive measures related to human rights violations in Iran now apply to a total of 247 individuals and 50 entities,” the EU Council said.
In addition, the sanctions target four Iranians and six entities under the EU’s dedicated sanctions regime for supporting Russia, with a specific focus on Iran’s state-sponsored UAV programme, Khojir Missile Development and Production, and Sahara Thunder, an import-export company acting as a front for the Iranian Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces Logistics.
The sanctions coincide with the EU’s designation of the IRGC as a terrorist organisation, a step described by EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas as a “decisive action to ensure that repression cannot go unanswered.” Kallas noted that the IRGC is now placed on the same level as jihadist groups such as al-Qaeda and ISIS.
The unrest in Iran has left at least 6,126 dead, with 41,880 arrests and 11,009 serious injuries reported by HRANA as of the 30th day of protests. Demonstrations began in late December over economic hardship, including the sharp devaluation of the rial, and spread across multiple cities. Authorities in Yazd have arrested more than 150 people for allegedly coordinating unrest. Officials have also accused foreign actors, including the U.S. and Israel, of backing what they call “armed rioters.”
The EU’s latest sanctions build on measures adopted last year, which were the first targeting Iran’s military and security apparatus over human rights violations. Read previous coverage here.
In response to the ongoing crisis, U.S. President Donald Trump warned that Washington would act against killings of protesters while noting Iran had reportedly cancelled hundreds of planned executions. The USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group has been deployed to the region to “promote regional security and stability.”
Human rights groups continue to criticise the IRGC for orchestrating the repression, while EU member states including France and Italy have voiced support for the sanctions. Tehran has warned that the designation could have “destructive consequences.”
Oil prices fell after the U.S. expanded economic sanctions on Iran, as Tehran vowed to retaliate and warned it had tools to respond, raising concer...
Armenia’s Anti-Corruption Committee has disclosed details of a criminal case involving former President R...
Britain and France have pledged stronger military support for Ukraine, including access to classified technology for Storm Shadow missile productio...
Iran on Saturday denounced U.S. plans to announce new sanctions that could put further strain on the Islamic Republic's economy and have an impact on its most important trading partners including China.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Monday that Kyiv wants peace but will not surrender to Russia, as foreign leaders joined Independence Day events marking 35 years since Ukraine’s independence.
A newly created pro-government political party has secured a commanding victory in Kazakhstan's snap parliamentary election, according to exit polls, strengthening President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev's influence at a pivotal moment in the country's political transition.
Only four commodity vessels crossed the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday, following 13 transits a day earlier, as disruptions continue to restrict traffic through the key energy chokepoint.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has rejected calls for a wartime election, arguing that holding a vote while Russia's full-scale invasion continues would divide the country and undermine national unity.
Armenia’s Anti-Corruption Committee has disclosed details of a criminal case involving former President Robert Kocharyan, saying he and five other people - including his son - have been detained as part of a corruption investigation.
Saudi Arabia and France have reaffirmed their support for Palestinian statehood and called for Israel to withdraw from all Lebanese territory, as the two countries sought closer coordination on some of the Middle East’s most pressing conflicts.
Armenia's efforts to move closer to the European Union have gained political momentum in Yerevan, but the country's potential membership bid is not currently part of the EU's immediate enlargement agenda, according to a senior European Council official.
Only four commodity vessels crossed the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday, following 13 transits a day earlier, as disruptions continue to restrict traffic through the key energy chokepoint.
Syrian and Israeli officials held U.S.-brokered talks in Jordan on Sunday to ease tensions after an Israeli strike on a Syrian airbase near Türkiye last week.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment