Speaking ahead of a summit with EU leaders, Kaja Kallas, Vice-President of the European Commission and the bloc’s top diplomat, stated that the issue of easing restrictions will only be considered after a comprehensive and verifiable Iranian nuclear deal is firmly established, News.Az reports, citing Al Jazeera.
“Once the conditions allow, of course, member states will discuss whether the lifting of sanctions is appropriate, but we are not there yet,” Kallas told reporters. She noted that while the 60-day U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding to halt regional hostilities and reopen the Strait of Hormuz offers grounds for cautious optimism, the toughest phase of nuclear negotiations still lies ahead.
***
The EU currently maintains a robust framework of multilateral sanctions targeting more than 700 Iranian individuals and entities. These restrictive measures—which include strict travel bans and asset freezes—were originally enacted to penalize the regime for its nuclear enrichment activities, regional destabilization efforts, human rights violations, and military support for Russia. EU officials emphasize that Europe will continue to make its own independent foreign policy decisions regardless of bilateral agreements brokered elsewhere.
