“The Council today extended until 27 July 2025 the restrictive measures in view of Iran’s military support for Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and for armed groups and entities in the Middle East and the Red Sea region. Existing restrictive measures will continue to be reviewed annually,” the Council of the European Union said in a statement on Monday.
It said that the sanctions currently target 12 persons and 9 entities, adding that “those targeted are subject to an asset freeze, and the provision of funds or economic resources, directly or indirectly, to them or for their benefit is prohibited. Additionally, a travel ban to the EU applies to the natural persons listed.”
Iranian and Russian officials have time and again denied allegations of military cooperation related to the war in Ukraine, but the European Union has retained a series of sanctions on Iran since last summer under pressure of the Israeli regime and opponents of the Islamic Republic.
Iran has also maintained that resistance groups in the region act independently in their operations including those in support of Palestinians in war-ravaged Gaza.
Following Operation True Promise in April – during which Iran launched missile and drone attacks on Israeli military positions to punish the regime for its attack on the Iranian embassy in Syria two weeks earlier -- the EU also intensified sanctions against Iran, targeting individuals and entities whom it accused of being involved in transferring Iranian missiles and drones.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry Spokesman Nasser Kanaani had previously criticized the EU for its double-standard behaviors. He argued that the bloc has remained inactive over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza over the past months, but it has imposed sanctions on Iranian individuals and entities that play a key role in combatting terrorism and protecting regional security.
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