At Monday's briefing in Brussels, El Anouni emphasized that the position of the Commission and President Ursula von der Leyen on this matter is clear, and the EC is considering imposing further sanctions, expressing full solidarity with protesters in Iran and condemning violence against demonstrators. The spokesman added that the EU was “horrified by the reports of casualties.”
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EU sanctions against Iran are not new. As the spokesman recalled, For years, the EU has had a special legal framework in place to target individuals and entities responsible for serious human rights violations in the country. The sanctions list has been expanded many times, and the Commission is currently considering introducing even more restrictive measures. El Anouni emphasized, however, that the final decision on this matter rests with the EU Council, where unanimity is required.
Debate on Iran at the EU forum
The announcement of new sanctions is related to the escalation of violence against demonstrators in Iran. Independent sources, such as Iran International, estimate that at least 2,000 people died in anti-government protests. people. In turn, the human rights agency HRANA reported 538 victims, including 490 protesters and 48 members of the security forces. More than 10,600 people were detained.
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The EC spokesman announced that the issue of Iran will be one of the main topics at the next meeting of foreign ministers of EU countries, scheduled for January 29. During the meeting, there will be a special debate devoted to the situation in this country. However, El Anouni refused to speculate on whether a decision would be made to impose new sanctions.
Targeted Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps?
Journalists asked the spokesman about the possibility of including the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on the EU list of terrorist organizations. El Anouni admitted that talks are taking place between member states on this matter, but they are taking place behind closed doors. He pointed out that, in accordance with EU sanctions rules, a decision on this matter also requires unanimity.
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Currently, the IRGC is already on the EU sanctions list related to weapons of mass destruction in Iran. This means that the Corps' assets in the EU are frozen and the entity is prohibited from providing funds and economic resources.
The sanctions list also includes individuals and organizations associated with the IRGC that were found responsible for human rights violations, involvement in Iran's nuclear and missile programs, and supporting Russia in its war against Ukraine.
