EU broadens sanctions to cover Iran’s missile program

The European Union (EU) has expanded its sanctions regime to target Iran’s missile capabilities a month after the country launched missile and drone attacks on the Israeli regime to punish it for an airstrike that killed Iranian generals in a diplomatic mission in Syria.

The European Council, a body which defines the EU's overall political direction and priorities, said in a Tuesday statement on its website that the sanctions regime on Iran had been expanded beyond current restrictions on the country’s drone production capabilities to also cover its missile program.

“The EU will now be able to target persons and entities supplying, selling or otherwise being involved in transferring Iran’s missiles...,” said the Council in its statement, adding that those targeted will be subject to an asset freeze and travel ban to the EU.

The statement alleged that the sanctions had been imposed on Iran in response to the country’s support for Russia’s war on Ukraine and its supply of missiles and drones to non-state groups in the West Asia region.

It said that the sanctions also came after Iran launched drone and missiles attacks against Israel.

Iran has repeatedly denied accusations it has supplied weapons to Russia for direct use in the war in Ukraine. It has also rejected allegation of supplying weapons to anti-Israeli and anti-US groups in the region.

Tehran has said that its mid-April military operation against Israel was a legitimate response to the Israeli regime’s attack on Iran’s consulate in Syria’s Damascus on April 1.

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian said last month that it was a pity that the EU was planning to impose sanctions on Iran only because the country had used its legitimate right to defend itself against "brazen Israeli aggression".

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