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.



Iran Releases Jailed Austrian Citizen

People walk on a market street in Tehran on September 15, 2024. (Photo by ATTA KENARE / AFP)
People walk on a market street in Tehran on September 15, 2024. (Photo by ATTA KENARE / AFP)
TT

Iran Releases Jailed Austrian Citizen

People walk on a market street in Tehran on September 15, 2024. (Photo by ATTA KENARE / AFP)
People walk on a market street in Tehran on September 15, 2024. (Photo by ATTA KENARE / AFP)

Iranian authorities have released Austrian citizen Christian Weber, detained for crimes committed in Iran's West Azerbaijan Province, to Austria's ambassador in Tehran, the Iranian judiciary's Mizan news agency reported on Tuesday.

Austria had said in 2022 one of its citizens was arrested in Iran on charges not related to protests that broke out in the country after the death of Mahsa Amini, a Kurdish Iranian woman, in custody.
The news agency said the Austrian citizen was freed in consideration of Islamic mercy. He was handed over to his country's ambassador to arrange his exit, the agency said.

Mizan did not specify the crime for which Weber was jailed.