EU hits Iranian drone and missile producers with new sanctions after attack on Israel

Shafaq News / President of the European Council, Charles Michel, announced on Wednesday that the European Union has decided to impose new sanctions on Iran targeting producers of drones and missiles.

Michel stated following a summit in Brussels, "We have decided to impose sanctions on Iran, and we wanted to send a clear message" to Tehran after its unprecedented attack on Israel.

The summit is the first meeting of the EU's 27 national leaders since Saturday's attack, more than six months into the war between Israel and Hamas.

Michel added, "The idea is to target companies manufacturing drones and missiles."

In their statement issued at the end of the summit, EU leaders called on "all parties to exercise maximum restraint and refrain from any action that could escalate tensions in the region."

The White House had announced that the United States would impose new sanctions on Iran following Tehran's unprecedented attack on Israel last weekend, indicating that it "expects" other allies to follow suit soon.

US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan stated that "in the coming days, the United States will impose new sanctions targeting Iran, including its drone and missile programs."

The US official explained that "these new sanctions, along with other measures, will continue to pressure Iran to contain and weaken its military capabilities."

Sullivan reminded that Washington had imposed sanctions on more than 600 individuals and entities associated with Iran for their relationships "with terrorism, terrorism financing, and other forms of illicit trade, as well as horrific human rights violations and support for terrorist proxy groups" of Tehran.

He also affirmed that US forces would enhance their readiness to counter any new Iranian drone and missile attacks.

Sullivan emphasized that "the pressure will continue" on Iran. "We will not hesitate to continue taking action, in coordination with allies and partners around the world and with Congress, to hold the Iranian government accountable for its malign and destabilizing actions." 

Notably, Iran launched its assault in response to an April 1 strike on its embassy in Damascus which it blamed on Israel.