EU countries agree to sanction Iran over protest crackdown

EU countries agree to sanctions on Iran following its brutal crackdown on protests over Mahsa Amini’s death and foreign ministers are to adopt them next Monday, diplomats say.

Earlier today, European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said “now is the time to sanction those responsible” in Iran “for the repression of women… This shocking violence cannot stay unanswered,” she said.

Four EU diplomats tell AFP that a political agreement was reached today on the sanctions and that the foreign ministers’ meeting to be held in Luxembourg next Monday was to officialize them.

There were no details on the impending sanctions, but the United States, Britain and Canada have already separately targeted security branches of the Iranian regime.