The Council of the EU decided, on Friday 22 May, to extend the scope of the EU restrictive measures put in place to sanction the military support provided by Iran for Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and various armed groups, to also include individuals and entities involved in Iranian actions and policies threatening the freedom of navigation in the Middle East.
The EU will now be able to adopt additional restrictive measures in response to Iran’s actions undermining freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. These measures include travel restrictions within the EU and an asset freeze. In addition, EU citizens and companies are forbidden from making funds, financial assets or economic resources available to listed individuals and entities.
EU foreign ministers had spoken in favour of such a measure at their meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council on 21 April (see EUROPE 13853/1). (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)