Under Dutch and Danish pressure, EU hits Iran with sanctions after murder plots

David Ibsen, President of UANI, a civil society group committed to preventing Iran from fulfilling its nuclear ambitions, stated:

"Diplomatic and economic sanctions are the only effective approach to dealing with a country that continues to target regime opponents on European soil with impunity. This tactic, however, is undermined by the EU's general approach to Iran, of providing economic benefit to the regime in the hope that it will moderate its behaviour. Actively encouraging EU businesses to stay in Iran, for example through the proposed special purpose vehicle, takes the force away from this move to sanction Iranian Intelligence staff, and ultimately renders the EU's foreign policy ineffectual in dealing with the Iranian regime."

The AJC Transatlantic Institute welcomed the EU decision to impose sanctions on a unit of the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence and Security and two Iranian nationals after a string of terror plots in Europe.

“For far too long, the Iranian regime has gotten away with its criminal and terrorist activities on European soil. Today’s move by the EU Council to impose sanctions on the responsible unit at the intelligence ministry in Tehran and two individuals is a promising signal,” said Daniel Schwammenthal, director of the American Jewish Committee’s (AJC) Brussels-based Transatlantic Institute. “European governments finally broke the deafening diplomatic silence that had been festering ever since the regime began its campaign of assassinations and terror plots in Europe.”

“Due to the seriousness of Iran’s crimes, the newest round of EU sanctions can only be the first step toward a comprehensive review of the bloc’s relationship with the Islamic Republic,” Schwammenthal added. “In particular, European governments ought to join forces with the U.S. in confronting Iran’s expanding ballistic missile program and urgently do away with its artificial distinction between Hezbollah’s so-called ‘military’ and ‘political’ wings to finally list the entire organization and ban its activities in Europe,” Schwammenthal said.