Iran has strongly condemned the new sanctions imposed against a number of Iranian persons and entities by the European Union over the country's handling of recent riots, vowing reciprocal sanctions against European persons and entities, ParsToday reports.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani made the remarks late Monday after an EU foreign ministerial session decided to levy sanctions against 11 Iranian individuals and four entities over the country's response to the riots that followed the death of a young Iranian woman in police custody.
The sanctions targeted a section of Iran’s police, the Basij volunteer forces and the cyber division of the country’s Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC). The bloc also listed Iran's Minister of Communications and Information Technology Issa Zarepour for the internet shutdown. The coercive measures include travel bans and asset freezes.
Kan'ani said the EU decision amounted to violation of international law and constituted a brazen example of interference in the Islamic Republic's internal affairs.
The bloc adopted coercive economic measures over the Islamic Republic's response to the riots, which Iran says are foreign-backed, that followed the death of a young Iranian woman in police custody.
The spokesman finally dismissed all the accusations leveled against the Iranian persons and entities, saying, "Reciprocal sanctions targeting relevant European persons and entities will be soon adopted and announced."
Earlier on Monday, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian also censured the EU's sanctions, calling them "superfluous" and "an unconstructive act out of miscalculation based on widespread disinformation." He emphasized that "riots and vandalism are not tolerated anywhere; Iran is no exception."
