Iran announces sanctions against EU media, institutions and parliamentarians

Iran announced this Wednesday 26 October sanctions against institutions, individuals and media based in the European Union as response to the punitive measures recently imposed by the EU against Iranian leaders. They have suppressed popular demonstrations after the death of young Iranian Kurd, Mahsa Amini.

The country has been rocked by protests since September 16, since Amini died three days after her arrest in Tehran by morality police who accused her of breaking the country's strict dress code, including the wearing the veil in public.

Dozens protesters, including members of the security forces, have been killed during the demonstrations. Hundreds more, including women, have been arrested.

On October 17, the EU adopted sanctions against the morality police and eleven Iranian leaders, including the Minister of Telecommunications, accusing them of being involved in the crackdown.

In response, the Iranian Foreign Ministry announced in a statement sanctions against eight institutions and twelve individuals based in Europe for having "supported terrorist groups", "incited violence" and "provoked riots, violence and terrorist acts" in Iran.

Blacklist

The Iranian blacklist includes The International Committee in Search of Justice (ISJ), the International League Against Racism and Anti-Semitism (LICRA), and the Persian versions of Deutsche Welle and Radio France International.

European and French parliamentarians and politicians and two officials from the German newspaper Bild are among those sanctioned by the Iranian government.

The sanctions include a visa ban and the "seizure of their property and assets in the territory under the jurisdiction of Iran", according to the ministry.

On October 19, Iran also announced that it had blacklisted British entities and individuals, days after London imposed sanctions on Iranian morality police over the death of Mahsa Amini.

(VIV)

^{© Belga Photo (Nicolas Maeterlinck) Protest in Brussels to support Iranian people, 15 October 2022}