The European Union has reached a political agreement to tighten sanctions against Iran in response to the recent shelling of Israel, reports Euronews. The decision was taken today, April 22, during the meeting of foreign ministers in Luxembourg. It will come into effect in the coming days, once the political consensus is translated into law.
The sanctions are designed to limit exports of EU-made components used in the production of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), drones and ballistic missiles.
Iran is believed to have the largest and most diverse missile arsenal in the Middle East, with more than 3,000 missiles in its stockpile and a range of up to 2,000 kilometers.
Although production is mostly domestic, Iran still relies on foreign technology components for its missile program.
Over the years, the country has developed a sophisticated network of operators to obtain sensitive dual-use items that can be used for both military and civilian purposes, and to circumvent long-standing international sanctions.
Iran has also supplied lethal equipment to its proxies in the region, including the Houthis in Yemen, Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in the Gaza Strip, all of whom are sworn enemies of Israel.
The April 13 shelling came from Iran, Iraq, Lebanon and Yemen, putting the West on high alert for a wider spread of the conflict.
The EU sanctions, approved on Monday, extend the restrictions to “the entire Middle East and Red Sea region,” Josep Borrell said.
