EU approves package of sanctions against Iran

Sweden, which presides over the European Union, announced yesterday that the bloc’s foreign ministers have approved a new package of sanctions against Iran. And she explained in a tweet on Twitter: “The sanctions target those who lead the repression. The European Union strongly condemns the brutal and disproportionate use of force by the Iranian authorities against peaceful demonstrators. Sources told Reuters last week that the bloc’s foreign ministers intend to add 37 names to a list of European Union individuals and entities subject to sanctions over human rights violations in Iran during their meeting. In turn, EU foreign policy spokesman Josep Borrell said in response to a question from the Al-Arabiya TV channel that the Revolutionary Guards cannot be included in the list of terrorists without the decision of the European judicial system. Borrell added that a court decision is a precondition for listing any entity on the sanctions lists, and pointed out that a court in an EU member state must issue a specific legal indictment before the bloc itself can act in this regard. In addition, the Iranian authorities arrested 3 journalists who worked in local institutions. Against the backdrop of protests taking place in the country after the death of Mahsa Amini, this was reported yesterday by the Association of Journalists in Tehran. The association said in a statement that at least 3 journalists were arrested in the last 48 hours: Malika Hashemi, Saada Shafi and Mernoush Zarey. Shafi is a freelance journalist and writer, Zarey works for news agencies associated with the reform movement, and Hashemi works for the Shahr agency. The Etemad newspaper reported that the three journalists were transferred to the Evin prison in Tehran. According to the census of this reformist newspaper, authorities have arrested 79 journalists since September 16; Start date of protests after death of Amini (age 22), 3 days after her arrest by vice police; For not following the strict dress code in Iran. Hundreds were killed, including dozens of security forces, during protests that raised slogans against the authorities, thousands were arrested; On the sidelines of the movements, most of which are considered “riots” by Iranian officials. In late October, local media published a letter signed by more than 300 journalists and photojournalists criticizing the authorities for “arresting our colleagues and depriving them of their rights after the arrest.”