Following a meeting of European Union foreign ministers in Luxembourg, the bloc’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, announced an agreement in principle to expand sanctions on Iran. This comes in response to Tehran’s recent missile and drone attacks on Israel.
Borrell, speaking on April 22nd, explained that the new sanctions aim to strengthen existing restrictions on Iran’s drone and missile programs, including their potential transfer to Russia. He emphasized that the sanctions would go beyond Russia, targeting supplies of drones and missiles to Iranian proxy groups in the region as well.
While some EU members pushed for designating the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) a terrorist organization and imposing sanctions on it, Borrell did not address these requests.
The legal framework for implementing the agreed-upon sanctions still needs to be determined and approved by all 27 EU member states.
Further Sanctions Discussed
The Luxembourg meeting also addressed the possibility of additional sanctions on Iran for human rights violations and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. The EU intends to review existing sanctions related to Iran’s missile program.
Calls for Stronger Measures
Prior to the meeting, several EU officials voiced support for harsher measures against Iran. Belgian Foreign Minister Hajia Lahbib advocated for including the IRGC in the new sanctions, though no agreement was reached on a legal basis for designating them as a terrorist group.
The Austrian Foreign Minister expressed support for expanding drone sanctions due to concerns about transfers to Russia and proxy groups. He anticipated a political agreement on the matter.
EU Leaders and G7 Take Action
EU leaders had previously reached a general consensus on imposing new sanctions at a summit in Brussels following Iran’s attack on Israel. The foreign ministers’ meeting served to determine the specifics.
At a recent G7 meeting, the foreign ministers of G7 nations, including four EU members (Britain, Germany, France, and Italy), imposed sanctions on Iran’s missile and drone programs, along with related entities, including Chinese companies supplying parts to Iran’s military drone industry.
Background
The decision to expand sanctions stems from two key events:
- Iran’s unprecedented military attack on Israel on April 13th, raising fears of a wider regional conflict.
- Russia’s use of Iranian drones in attacks against Ukrainian civilians and infrastructure over the past two years.
Ongoing Tensions
Belgium, seeking to designate the IRGC a terrorist organization, has faced diplomatic tensions with Iran. This stems from the conviction of an Iranian diplomat linked to terrorist plots in Europe and the imprisonment of a Belgian aid worker in Iran.
