EU approves new sanctions against Iran due to crackdown on protests

Iranian officials and organizations involved in suppressing the country's recent protests are now facing new EU sanctions.

Foreign ministers from the 27 European Union member states agreed on Monday to introduce a new batch of sanctions against Iran following a violent crackdown on anti-government protests that have rocked the country for weeks.

The sanctions will target 32 individuals and organizations, including the "inner circle" of the powerful Revolution Guard, responsible for the violence committed by security forces that has left hundreds dead and thousands more in detention.

Those affected will be barred from entering the EU and will have any assets in the bloc frozen.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock confirmed the new packet of sanctions, adding that the Germany had succeeded in getting the issue on the agenda of the UN Human Rights Council.

"Nobody in Tehran, Mashhad or Isfahan can be allowed to believe that they can get away with committing crimes without consequence," Baerbock wrote on Twitter.

"Europe and the world is watching," she added.

EU sanctions against Tehran

Despite Tehran's violent attempts to quell the protests that broke out following the death in detention of a young Kurdish woman who was arrested in mid-September for allegedly breaking Iran's strict dress code, demonstrations, often led by women, have continued to take place across the country.

The EU agreed on a first round of sanctions in October that targeted the notorious morality police who were responsible for the detention of the 22-year-old Jina Mahsa Amini, as well as targeting members of the Basiji security forces who are believed to have killed several protesters.

The bloc has also separately sanctioned Iran for its support for Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The UN Human Rights Council also announced on Monday that it would hold a special session on November 24 to look into "the deteriorating human rights situation" in Iran.

According to the activist HRANA news agency, some 336 demonstrators have been killed so far and almost 15,000 arrested. Tehran has not confirmed these figures.

ab/rt (dpa, Reuters)