By Agbowa Ani
BRUSSELS — The European Union on Thursday adopted a new round of sanctions against Iran, targeting senior officials, security commanders and state-linked entities over what it described as serious human rights violations and Tehran’s continued military support for Russia’s war against Ukraine.
The Council of the EU said the measures include asset freezes, travel bans and restrictions on providing funds or economic resources to those listed. The decision adds 15 individuals and six entities to the EU’s Iran human rights sanctions regime, and four individuals and six entities under a separate framework addressing Iran’s support for Russia’s war effort.
EU officials said the latest sanctions respond to the violent repression of peaceful protests in Iran, including the use of force, arbitrary detentions and intimidation by security forces.
Those newly listed include Iran’s Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni, who also heads the country’s National Security Council, as well as senior judicial figures such as Prosecutor General Mohammad Movahedi-Azad and presiding judge Iman Afshari. Several commanders of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and high-ranking police and Law Enforcement Force officers were also sanctioned for their roles in crackdowns on demonstrators and the arrest of political activists and human rights defenders.
In addition, the EU targeted a number of entities accused of facilitating censorship and online repression, including Iran’s Audio-Visual Media Regulatory Authority, known as SATRA, the Seraj Cyberspace Organization and the Working Group for Determining Instances of Criminal Content.
The bloc said these bodies and affiliated software companies were involved in censoring content, spreading disinformation, orchestrating online harassment campaigns and contributing to widespread internet disruptions through surveillance and repression tools.
With Thursday’s decision, EU human rights-related sanctions on Iran now apply to 247 individuals and 50 entities. The measures also include a ban on exporting equipment to Iran that could be used for internal repression, including technology for monitoring telecommunications.
“The EU expresses its solidarity with the Iranian people as they voice their legitimate aspiration for freedom and dignity,” the Council said in a statement.
Separately, the EU imposed new sanctions tied to Iran’s military backing of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, saying such support poses “a direct threat to EU security.” The listings focus on Iran’s state-sponsored program for developing and producing drones and missiles supplied to Russia.
Among the entities sanctioned are Khojir Missile Development and Production, a key player in Iran’s ballistic missile program, and Sahara Thunder, an import-export company described by the EU as a front for Iran’s Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics. Several private firms supplying critical components to the IRGC were also listed.
The individuals targeted under this regime include businessmen, chief executives and shareholders involved in Iran’s missile and unmanned aerial vehicle programs, the Council said.
The move brings the total number of people and entities sanctioned under the Iran–Russia framework to 24 individuals and 26 entities. The regime has been extended until July 27, 2026.
The Council also agreed to expand export bans to Iran to cover additional components and technologies used in drone and missile production, including materials and equipment related to electronics, telecommunications, sensors, navigation systems, aerospace and propulsion.
The EU has maintained a dedicated sanctions regime over Iran’s human rights record since 2011, renewing it annually. Since 2022, the bloc has sharply expanded the measures amid growing concern over the treatment of protesters and activists.
Earlier this month, the EU’s foreign policy chief condemned the use of violence, arbitrary detention and intimidation against demonstrators in Iran and called for the immediate release of those detained for exercising their fundamental rights.
