New sanctions on Iran as support for IRGC terror grows

European Union (EU) foreign ministers on Thursday agreed on new sanctions against Iran in response to the violent suppression of anti-government protests.

The officials told dpa, as momentum grows to designate Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organisation.

The measures include asset freezes and travel bans on around 30 individuals and entities.

“If you are suppressing people, it has a price, and you will also be sanctioned for this,” EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said ahead of the decision.

The sanctioned names are to be published shortly, but French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said those targeted include government officials, prosecutors, police unit commanders, members of the IRGC, and officials responsible for internet shutdowns.

Estimates of the death toll from the crackdown vary widely.

Reports suggest between 3,000 and 10,000 protesters were killed, while Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani and Luxembourg’s Foreign Minister Xavier Bettel have suggested the number could be as high as 30,000.

The scale of the violence has intensified calls within the EU to designate the IRGC as a terrorist organisation, with a decision by ministers expected later on Thursday.

After months of opposition, France announced on Wednesday evening that it would back the move, which has long been advocated by Germany and several other member states and could clear the way for an agreement.

“The unbearable oppression unleashed against the peaceful uprising of the Iranian people cannot go unanswered.

“There can be no impunity for the crimes committed,” Barrot said as he arrived for the meeting in Brussels.

He added that the “extraordinary courage of Iranian women and men” must not be in vain.

Kallas urged foreign ministers to agree unanimously on the designation.

“If you act as a terrorist, you should also be treated as a terrorist,” she said.

The move would be largely symbolic, as the IRGC is already subject to EU sanctions over human rights violations.

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said he was “very pleased that many member states have now signalled their support for this listing” and expressed confidence that ministers would reach a joint conclusion.

“This is a success for the people of Iran. It is a success for humanity and for the EU as a community of values,” Wadephul said