EU widens sanctions against Iran

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The European Council on Monday announced widening the scope of its sanctions against Iran for supporting Russia in the war against Ukraine, and armed groups in the Middle East.

“The Council today decided to widen the scope of the EU framework for restrictive measures in view of Iran’s military support to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and to armed groups and entities in the Middle East and the Red Sea region,” the European Council said in a statement as the union’s foreign ministers met in Brussels. 

The council adopted “restrictive measures against one individual and four entities following Iran’s missile and drone transfers to Russia in support of its war of aggression against Ukraine.” 

The decision also banned any transactions with “ports and locks that are owned, operated or controlled by listed individuals and entities” used to transfer Iranian drones, missiles, or related technology to Russia, including the Amirabad and Anzali ports in the Caspian Sea. 

The UK also slapped Iran with a wave of fresh sanctions against Iran Air and the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines for transporting ballistic missiles and other military supplies to Russia, according to the British foreign ministry.

It also banned the entry of the Olya-3 cargo ship, which delivered the weapons to Russia, into UK ports.

For its part, Tehran has rejected the new sanctions and denied having transferred missiles or drones to Moscow.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on X on Sunday, before the sanctions were announced, that the EU was using the “non-existent missile pretext” to target its shipping lines.

“There is no legal, logical or moral basis for such behavior. If anything, it will only compel what it ostensibly seeks to prevent,” Araghchi wrote.

Esmaeil Baghaei, the spokesperson, for the Iranian foreign ministry said Tehran would decide how to respond to the new sanctions.

This is the second wave of sanctions against Iran in the past month.

Last month, the UK announced sanctions on senior Iranian military figures and organizations “for their role in attempting to destabilize the Middle East.” 

The European Union in May announced sanctions on Iran’s defense minister and others accused of supplying drones to armed groups in the Middle East and Russia for use against Ukraine.

Iranian Minister of Defense Mohammad-Reza Gharaei Ashtiani, commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Quds Force (IRGC-QF) Esmail Qaani, and head of the Iranian Aviation Industries Organization Afshin Khaji Fard were among those sanctioned.