The EU could impose new sanctions on Iran after Tehran’s direct attack on Israel, several diplomats said on Monday evening after talks between members’ envoys.
The issue is likely to be discussed this Tuesday during a video conference of foreign ministers called by the bloc’s top diplomat Josep Borrell.
It comes after Iran directly attacked Israel on Saturday, for the first time in the history of the Islamic Republic, in retaliation for the killing of high-ranking Iranian officers in Syria at the start of the month.
New punitive measures could be imposed through a sanctions regime set up after Iran began supporting the Russian war on Ukraine by supplying Moscow with drones. The measures banned the export of components used for the construction and production of unmanned aerial vehicles to Iran.
The diplomats say the risk of escalation could argue against new strict sanctions, however. Borrell wants to continue trying to persuade Iran to return to compliance with an agreement to restrict its nuclear programme, in a bid to prevent Iran from building a nuclear bomb.
The video conference convened due to the Iranian attack on Israel is intended to discuss how the European Union can contribute to de-escalation in the region. The ministers are likely to strongly condemn the Iranian attack and emphasize EU support for Israel’s security.
The ministers are also likely to urge restraint and recall the fact that Brussels is demanding an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. In this context, unhindered humanitarian access to the civilian population suffering in the Gaza Strip is also considered necessary, diplomats said on Monday evening.
Iran attacked Israel with hundreds of drones and missiles last weekend but almost all were intercepted. It remains unclear how Israel will respond.
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