EU plans sanctions on senior Iran Guard members

Reports indicate that the 27-nation bloc is expected to announce asset freezes and visa bans targeting 21 individuals and entities, including high-ranking IRGC members. The measures are likely to be formally approved when EU foreign ministers meet in Brussels later this week, News.Az reports, citing Al Jazeera.
These planned sanctions mark the first wave of EU punitive action in response to the latest protest crackdown in Iran. Demonstrations in the country have drawn international concern over reports of violence and mass arrests, prompting renewed pressure on European leaders to respond.
Alongside the sanctions, calls are growing within the EU to officially designate the IRGC as a terrorist organization. Italy has publicly backed this push, which—if adopted—would significantly escalate European action against Tehran. However, such a designation would require complex legal and political agreement among member states.
The EU has previously imposed sanctions on hundreds of Iranian officials and institutions over earlier crackdowns on protest movements, reflecting a long-running pattern of tension between Brussels and Tehran over human rights concerns.
Iran, for its part, rejects the accusations. Officials in Tehran maintain that the Revolutionary Guard plays a vital role in ensuring national and regional security. Iranian authorities have warned that blacklisting the IRGC would violate the United Nations Charter and international law.
As EU foreign ministers prepare to meet, the upcoming decision signals continued strain in EU-Iran relations and a tougher European stance toward Iran’s internal security policies.