EU announces ‘additional sanctions’ against 29 Iranian officials

Brussels is shaking Tehran again. “We are today imposing additional sanctions on those responsible for the crackdown on Iranian protesters”announced the head of European diplomacy, Josep Borrell, on Monday 14 November, after the approval of these measures by the Foreign Ministers of the Twenty-Seven.

European Union targets 29 Iranian officials this time, including interior ministerAhmad Vahidi, accused of committing “serious violations of human rights” during the repression of the demonstrations. Lhe public channel Press TV is also targeted for broadcasting “forced confessions” of detainees.

The EU had already frozen, last month, the assets of the leaders of the morality police, the Revolutionary Guards and the Iranian Minister of Information Technologies. These measures had been accompanied by a deprivation of visas. Since then, Tehran had promised an answer “proportionate and firm”. “We are ready for this eventuality, but it will be a mistake”warned Josep Borrell.

The EU is in a tricky exercise with Tehran as Josep Borrell plays a mediating role to revive the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. Efforts to bring Iran and the United States back on board the deal have largely stalled. “The deal is not on track, you know, it’s stalled, but the work continues”said the European official.