Iran’s unprecedented attacks against Israel must be met with strong EU sanctions

The Renew Europe Group in the European Parliament calls on the EU to urgently put in place the recently expanded sanctions against Iran for supplying drones and missiles to Russia and the wider Middle Eastern region, and to prepare additional ones in the banking, oil and aviation sectors to be imposed in the event of further unacceptable escalation by the Iranian regime against Israel.

In a resolution today debated by the plenary, our political group reiterated its long-standing call to add the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to the EU list of terrorist organizations, following their assassination attacks and attempts on European soil the past few years, while calling for restraint and de-escalation by all actors in the region.

At the same time, we condemn Iran’s hostage diplomacy and expect the EU to launch a strategy to counter it with a dedicated task force.

The resolution also notes that Iran, Russia and China are increasingly sharing critical intelligence and cooperating, making EU sanctions less effective.

Speaking during today’s debate, Renew Europe MEP Bart Groothuis (VVD, The Netherlands), Vice-Chair of the Delegation for relations with Iran, said:

“Geopolitical theatres in the Middle East, Ukraine and Taiwan are interconnected as Russia, China and Iran are deepening their ties. They want to challenge the liberal world order. The West, and Europe with it, needs a paradigm shift. To start with a strategy on countering and containing Iran, and by putting the IRGC on the EU-terrorist list.”