European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced on Tuesday that the European Union will "urgently" propose new sanctions against Iran in response to the rising death toll and violent suppression of ongoing protests across the country.
In a statement released online, von der Leyen described the mounting casualties in Iran as "appalling" and explicitly condemned the Iranian authorities' "excessive use of force" and "continuous restrictions on fundamental freedoms."
"Additional sanctions targeting those responsible for the repression will be proposed with the utmost urgency," she noted, following reports from international agencies including AFP.
Context of the Unrest The protests, which began in late December in Tehran before spreading to numerous other cities, were initially triggered by a sharp decline in economic conditions and the plummeting value of the Iranian rial against the US dollar—consequences of the severe economic blockade led by the United States.
Communications and Internet Blackout While international phone lines to Iran were reportedly restored on Tuesday after a four-day disruption, the country remains under a total internet blackout. According to the digital monitoring group NetBlocks, internet services have been cut since January 8, significantly hindering the flow of information regarding the scale of the crackdown.
The proposed EU sanctions are expected to target high-ranking officials within the Iranian security apparatus and the Revolutionary Guard, aiming to hold individuals accountable for human rights violations while aligning with broader international pressure on Tehran.
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