The European Union said Wednesday that it will closely monitor the situation in Iran and does not rule out further sanctions in response to the violent crackdown on protests against the death of young Masha Amini.
In a new debate on the situation in Iran in the European Parliament, European Commission Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis has insisted that the EU does not rule out adopting «further restrictive measures» if Tehran’s crackdown continues.
«The EU and its Member States will continue to monitor the situation of the protests in Iran and consider all options at their disposal, including further restrictive measures,» said Dombrovskis, who said that the EU will study the crisis at the meeting of foreign ministers on Monday and could continue the path taken last October 17 when it approved sanctions against 11 individuals and four entities for human rights violations in Iran.
The former Latvian Prime Minister has defended that Iranian demonstrators have the right to peaceful protest and their fundamental rights must be respected by the regime of the ayatollahs. Likewise, he affirmed that the European bloc urges in its exchanges with the Iranian authorities to respect the right of expression and protest in the country.
The EU-27 approved the extension of existing sanctions for human rights violations in Iran in order to react to the situation unleashed in the country after the death of the 22-year-old woman arrested for allegedly wearing the veil incorrectly.
Amini’s death has led to nationwide protests that have met with a violent response from the Iranian authorities. With the new restrictions, the EU maintains 97 individuals and eight entities on its ‘blacklist’ for rights violations in Iran.
