European Union Imposes New Sanctions Against Iranian Shipping Company

In a statement released on Monday (18), the European Commission, the executive branch of the European Union (EU), announced sanctions against the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL) and its CEO, Mohammad Reza Khiabani. The sanctions prohibit transactions involving vessels, ports, and docks owned, operated, or controlled by sanctioned individuals and entities.

These new sanctions were imposed in response to what the European Commission described as “concerns over the supply of drones, missiles, and related technologies and components manufactured in Iran,” which are sent to Russia, where they are used in the conflict with Ukraine, and to armed groups operating in the Middle East.

This move expands on previous restrictions already imposed by the EU on the Arab country, such as last month’s sanctions against Iran Air, the Iranian national airline, which was also accused of involvement in supplying weapons to Russia.

In addition to the EU, Iran must now contend with sanctions announced by the United Kingdom against Iran Air and the country’s national shipping company, also based on the country’s involvement in the Russia-Ukraine conflict through arms transfers.

Iran has denied the accusations. On Sunday evening (17), Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, criticized the EU’s sanction package on his social media account.

“The EU is using the same nonexistent missile pretext to target our shipping lines as well,” Araghchi wrote. “There is no legal, logical, or moral basis for such behavior.”

Source: Valor Econômico

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