25/01/2023 (Agence Europe) – The Iranian regime announced, on Wednesday 25 January, sanctions against several additional MEPs and the European Parliament’s Friends of Israel group. These measures come after the adoption on Monday 23 January of new EU sanctions against human rights abusers in Iran (see EUROPE 13105/6). The MEPs targeted are the S&D’s Dietmar Köster (German) and Thijs Reuten (Dutch), from the EPP Lukas Mandl (Austrian), Anna Bonfrisco (ID, Italian), from Renew Europe Bart Groothuis (Dutch) and Abir Al-Sahlani (Swedish), but also Alejo Vidal-Quadras, former Spanish EPP MEP. According to the Iranian Foreign Ministry, these individuals are sanctioned for, among other things, “supporting terrorism and terrorist groups”, interfering in Iran’s internal affairs and “promoting violence and unrest in Iran”. (CG)