| French Foreign Minister: "I am pleased that we can take such sanctions today against seven individuals and two entities, including Shiraz Prison." |
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Europe imposes sanctions on seven individuals and two Iranian entities.
15/04/2025
(See translation in Arabic section)
Sydney-Middle East Times Int'l: European Union foreign ministers imposed sanctions today (Monday) on seven individuals and two Iranian entities for the arrest of EU citizens. In a statement published by the bloc, they affirmed that the arrests are a policy adopted by Tehran to hold hostages. The sanctions list included the director of Evin Prison in Tehran, a number of judges and law enforcement officials, and the main prison in Shiraz, one of the two sanctioned entities. The sanctions require the freezing of any assets held in the countries and the imposition of a travel ban.
The European Council stated: "The Union remains deeply concerned about Iran's alarming practice of arbitrarily detaining EU citizens with single and dual nationality on spurious grounds for political gain," adding: "Last year, we witnessed a significant increase in the number of executions, including the execution of women and individuals belonging to ethnic and religious minorities, as well as the execution of one European citizen."
The statement noted that freedom of opinion and expression, freedom of religion or belief, and freedom of assembly have been increasingly restricted, and threatening measures have been taken against human rights defenders, journalists, and political opponents. For his part, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot told reporters upon arriving for an EU meeting in Luxembourg, "I am pleased that we can take such sanctions today against seven individuals and two entities, including Shiraz Prison." He added, "It is time because the conditions in which some of our French and European citizens are being held are not appropriate."
France is leading European efforts due to Iran's detention of two of its nationals in what it describes as torture-like conditions, and is working hard to pressure Iran on this issue.
Paris is preparing a complaint before the International Court of Justice against Tehran for violating the right to consular protection.
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