EU leaders back new Iran sanctions
Just days after Iran’s revenge attack on Israel, the 27 EU leaders unanimously agreed to impose fresh sanctions against the former on April 17, Reuters reported.
Following Israel’s attack on the Iranian embassy compound in Damascus on April 1, Iran retaliated on April 14, directly launching 300 missiles and drones into Israel. The strikes were overwhelmingly intercepted by the Israeli Air Force, as well as the Jordanian Air Force and US military, and the only recorded damages were on the Nevatim Airbase, situated near the Negev Desert.
The EU and US have appealed for calm in an already buoyant region, fearing a full-blown regional conflict.
EU leaders held a summit in Brussels to discuss the situation between Israel and Iran as well as deciding what sanctions need to be placed on Iran.
“We feel it’s very important to do everything to isolate Iran,” said the summit’s chair and EU Council chief Charles Michel.
The new sanctions will target companies involved in drones and missiles production.
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The EU already has multiple programmes that target Iran for human rights abuses as well for its military backing of Russia amidst the over two-year long and ongoing invasion of Ukraine. 227 individuals and 42 entities were sanctioned back in December 2022.
With regards to the most recent sanctions, the EU Council said in a statement: “The European Council strongly and unequivocally condemns the Iranian attack on Israel and reiterates its full solidarity with the people of Israel and commitment to Israel’s security and to regional stability.
“The European Council calls on Iran and its proxies to cease all attacks and urges all parties to exercise the utmost restraint and to refrain from any action that may increase tensions in the region.
“The European Union will take further restrictive measures against Iran, notably in relation to unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and missiles. The European Union remains fully committed to contributing to de-escalation and security in the region.”
The bloc called on both parties to deescalate and the US, Israel’s biggest ally, said that they would not participate in a conflict with Iran.
Israel has said that they would respond but have yet to publicly state what such an attack would entail.
Reuters
