The European Union (EU) intends to introduce new sanctions against Iran, they will be related to unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and missiles. This was stated in a statement following the organization’s summit held on Wednesday, April 17. The statement is quoted by the news agency Reuters.
“The EU is ready to take further restrictive measures against Iran, especially with regard to unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and missiles,” the document said.
Such measures were taken as a result of Tehran's attack on Israel.
EU leaders called on Israel to show restraint and not take part in further escalation of the conflict. French President Emmanuel Macron stressed that the EU should expand sanctions against Iran as an act of solidarity with Israel.
“We advocate sanctions that could also target all those who help produce the drones and missiles used in the attacks,” he said.
The EU statement said the bloc remains committed to Israel and cares about its security, while taking into account the need to reduce tensions in the Middle East.
Earlier it was reported that German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that Israel should concentrate on achievements in the field of defense after the Iranian attack, since a strong response from the country “would not be welcome.” At the same time, the White House announced that in the coming days the United States would introduce additional sanctions aimed at Iran’s programs to develop missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles, as well as companies collaborating with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the Iranian Ministry of Defense.
On the same day, Prime Minister of the Jewish State Benjamin Netanyahu noted that Israel appreciates the advice of its allies, but will resolve issues of self-defense itself. According to him, the Jewish state intends to do everything necessary to protect itself.
The day before, he said that Israel would respond to Iran’s attack “wisely, not emotionally,” and the country’s response should be coordinated with the United States.
Iran attacked Israel with drones and ballistic missiles on April 13. Benjamin Netanyahu then noted that the attack was successfully repelled. Later it became known that Israel intends to create a regional coalition against the threat posed by Iran.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog said the attack was a declaration of war. Iran, in turn, has repeatedly warned Israel that it will strike back if Israel attacks the country's territory.
On April 14, the head of the Iranian Foreign Ministry said that the attack on Israel was limited. He noted that Tehran did not attack civilians, and also threatened to strike US bases in the region if Washington helps Israel. Iran's Permanent Mission to the UN said the attack was a state's right of self-defense following Israeli strikes on the Iranian consulate in Syria, where two Iranian Revolutionary Guards generals and five officers accompanying them were killed.
American Secretary of State Antony Blinken noted that the United States is trying to prevent further escalation of the conflict in the Middle East after Iran's attack on Israel.
The situation in the Middle East escalated on the morning of October 7 last year, when the Palestinian radical movement Hamas subjected Israeli territory to massive rocket fire from the Gaza Strip, and also invaded the border areas in the south of the country and took hostages. That same day, Israel began retaliating against targets in the Gaza Strip.
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