EU Slaps New Sanctions on Iran

EU Headquarters in Brussels (File photo: Reuters)
EU Headquarters in Brussels (File photo: Reuters)
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EU Slaps New Sanctions on Iran

EU Headquarters in Brussels (File photo: Reuters)
EU Headquarters in Brussels (File photo: Reuters)

The European Union on Monday imposed new sanctions on Iran, targeting five officials and two entities for their role in the violent crackdown on mass protests in Iran.

The European Council said that the new sanctions targeted an Iranian official in charge of enforcing the laws of wearing the veil and the Student Basij Organization (SBO), which acts as the IRGC's violent enforcers on university campuses.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said before announcing the sanctions that the EU will not accept the human rights violations in Iran.

Baerbock said the enforced hijab means that women's rights in Iran are still not respected, according to the German news agency.

Regarding the new sanctions, the minister said that other people responsible for human rights violations would be included on the sanctions list, especially from the IRGC.

The Council announced that it would also list the IRGC Cooperative Foundation, which is responsible for managing the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps' investments and funneling money into the regime's brutal repression.

The new listings include the current commander of the Tehran Police Relief Unit of Iran's Law Enforcement Forces (LEF).

The new sanctions include an asset freeze, a travel ban to the EU, and a prohibition on making funds or economic resources available to those listed. A ban on exports to Iran of equipment that might be used for internal repression and equipment for monitoring telecommunications is also in place.

EU's restrictive measures now apply to 216 individuals and 37 entities.

Meanwhile, Amnesty International called on Iran to immediately halt its public execution of two Afghans convicted of "armed rebellion."

In a statement, the organization expressed concern after judicial authorities in Fars province announced that the two would be executed soon in Shiraz.

Iranian state media said they were convicted of an armed attack in Shiraz on October 26, 2022.

Amnesty said all countries should condemn the Iranian authorities' appalling use of the death penalty in the strongest possible terms.

The Human Rights Organization in Iran reported last Friday that the judicial authorities executed three protesters in Isfahan Central Prison, which was met with widespread international condemnation.

Iran witnessed protests across the country following the death of the young woman, Mahsa Amini, who died in September last year.



Biden Says US Secret Service Needs More Help

President Joe Biden speaks about the economy during a meeting with CEOs in the South Court Auditorium on the White House complex in Washington,July 28, 2022. (AP)
President Joe Biden speaks about the economy during a meeting with CEOs in the South Court Auditorium on the White House complex in Washington,July 28, 2022. (AP)
TT

Biden Says US Secret Service Needs More Help

President Joe Biden speaks about the economy during a meeting with CEOs in the South Court Auditorium on the White House complex in Washington,July 28, 2022. (AP)
President Joe Biden speaks about the economy during a meeting with CEOs in the South Court Auditorium on the White House complex in Washington,July 28, 2022. (AP)

The US Secret Service needs more help, President Joe Biden said on Monday after an apparent assassination attempt on Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump was thwarted over the weekend, Reuters reported.

Biden, speaking to reporters, said he did not yet have a full report of the Sunday incident at Trump's Florida golf course and that he was thankful the former president was ok.

Meanwhile, Ryan Routh, the reported suspect in the assassination attempt on Trump, has entered a federal courtroom in West Bank Palm Beach, Florida, a CNN reporter said on social media.
Routh was wearing dark prison scrubs and his hands and feet were shackled, the reporter said.