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EU moves swiftly on Iran sanctions after deadly protest crackdown
The European Union is rushing new sanctions against Iranian officials following a brutal suppression of nationwide protests that has killed thousands since late December, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced Tuesday. "The rising death toll in Iran is horrifying," von der Leyen said on X. "I unequivocally condemn the excessive use of force and ongoing restrictions on freedoms." She added that, coordinating with EU foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas, "new sanctions targeting those responsible for the crackdown will be proposed swiftly."
Casualty figures remain disputed amid Iran's imposed internet blackout. U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency reported at least 2,571 deaths Wednesday, while Norway-based Iran Human Rights tallied 648 as of Monday. Iran International estimated up to 12,000 protesters killed on January 8-9 alone, citing Iranian government sources and medical reports, though unverified independently. Protests erupted December 28, 2025, after a currency collapse and soaring inflation, starting with shop closures at Tehran's Grand Bazaar before spreading nationwide. They quickly evolved into broader anti-government demands for human rights and an end to the Islamic Republic system.
Security forces, including the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, responded with rifles, shotguns loaded with metal pellets, water cannons, and tear gas, per Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch findings. The Netherlands leads efforts for a new sanctions package, with EU ambassadors set to review it this week. Measures would include asset freezes for those involved in recent killings, potentially finalized at the EU foreign ministers' meeting January 29.
In coordinated diplomacy, at least seven European nations, including the UK, France, Germany, Spain, Finland, Belgium, and the Netherlands, summoned Iranian ambassadors to voice concerns over the violence. Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot said his country is "ready to discuss additional European sanctions against the Iranian regime," while Finnish counterpart Elina Valtonen accused Tehran of cutting internet to "kill and oppress in silence." The UK foreign secretary announced plans for "comprehensive and reinforced sanctions plus sectoral measures" targeting Iranian finance, energy, transport, software, and other industries.
Von der Leyen noted the EU has already listed the entire Revolutionary Guard Corps under its human rights sanctions regime, though calls to designate it a terrorist organization lack consensus among member states. These steps would build on extensive existing penalties, with the EU sanctioning over 230 Iranians—including the interior minister and Guard members plus trade, finance, and transport curbs after reinstating UN sanctions in October 2025 over Iran's nuclear non-compliance.
