Iran announces retaliatory sanctions against European individuals, entities

The ministry had warned on Monday that it would retaliate against similar moves taken by the Council of European Union and the UK against scores of Iranian individuals and entities over what they call the Islamic Republic's approach towards foreign-backed riots that erupted in some Iranian cities in September.

The ministry's statement referred to the reciprocal measures as "counteraction" approved by the Islamic Republic's "relevant authorities" and authorized by the country's "counter-sanction mechanisms."

It specified some of the reasons for the enactment of the reciprocal measures as the EU and UK's "support for terrorism and terrorist groups" and their "incitement to acts of terror and violence against the Iranian people."

Iran’s intelligence bodies have found footprints of American and other Western spy agencies in the violent riots. The rioters went on a rampage, brutally attacking security officers and causing massive damage to public property.

Dozens of people and security personnel were killed as a result of the violence.

The ministry further denounced the bloc and Britain for their "interference in the Islamic Republic's internal affairs," their "propagation of falsehood and misinformation about Iran." It also condemned them for their cooperation with the American sanctions against the country, which amounted to "economic terrorism."

The statement considered the EU and the UK's facilitation of acts of terrorism and destruction against the Iranian nation as their "violation of international commitments in the field of fighting terrorism." It also condemned their collaboration with the anti-Iran sanctions as an "egregious contravention of fundamental principles of human rights that are mentioned in the United Nations Charter."

According to the ministry, Iran's reciprocal measures mandate the prohibition of the issuance of visas for those sanctioned and the prohibition of their entry into the Islamic Republic. The measures also order bank accounts and asset freeze against the designated individuals and entities.

The counter-sanctions list features 15 current and former European officials, including France's Minister for Gender Equality, Diversity, and Equal Opportunities, Isabelle Lonvis-Rome; French Minister Delegate for Industry, Roland Lescure; President of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, Josef Schuster; Director at Europe Israel Public Affairs, Alex Benjamin; President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Jamie M. Fly, and head of Germany's National Command and General Space Operations Division, Major General Michael Traut as well as three German parliamentarians and two European Parliament lawmakers.

It also names 13 European entities, including the European Coalition for Israel, the Center for Information and Documentation Israel, Christians for Israel, the Eurospike arms company, and six German military industry companies.

The list further features eight British individuals, including Assistant Commissioner for Specialist Operations within the Metropolitan Police Service, Matthew Jonathan Jukes; member of the Board of Directors at The Jewish Chronicle, Alan Jacob, and six military officials.