The European Union will impose sanctions on the Revolutionary Guards due to the supply of weapons to Russia - voila! news

2023-02-15T15:59:26.473Z

Within days, the European Union is expected to announce sanctions against 7 Iranian entities linked to the Revolutionary Guards and involved in the supply of drones to Russia for the war in Ukraine. This step reflects the worsening of European policy towards Iran in recent months. Senior EU official: "Much more worried than before"

In the video: Raisi refers to the nuclear agreement with Iran (Photo: Reuters)

A senior member of the European Union told Walla today (Wednesday) that the Union is expected to announce in the coming days sanctions against seven Iranian entities linked to the Revolutionary Guards and involved in the supply of attack drones to Russia for the war in Ukraine.

why is it important:

• This will be another wave of sanctions that the European Union imposes on bodies related to the Revolutionary Guards and involved in the production of weapons in the context of the war in Ukraine.

• This step reflects the worsening of European policy towards Iran in recent months since it began supplying weapons to Russia and since the regime began violently suppressing the demonstrations against it throughout the country.

• This is the first time that the European Union has included Iranian entities and companies that are related to the Revolutionary Guards in a list that completely prohibits trade and any business relationship.

The reason for this is that these entities and companies make use of dual-use Egyptians for the purpose of creating attack drones for Russia.

The big picture:

• "We are changing our policy regarding Iran because of the massive arms supply to Russia. We are much more worried than before. The Revolutionary Guards are much more focused than they were in the past and this is a big change in our perception," said a senior EU official.

The US military shot down an Iranian-made drone in Syria

To the full article

The move reflects the worsening of European policy towards Iran in recent months.

Ibrahim Raisi (Photo: Reuters)

In the news center:

• A senior member of the European Union said that the sanctions package was officially presented today (Wednesday) at a meeting of the representatives of the European Commission - the executive arm of the European Union - with the ambassadors of the member states of the organization.

• The package includes sanctions against the IRGC's Air and Space Force, which is involved in supplying the attacking drones to Russia and training the Russian operators, as well as against the IRGC's research and development arm, which is involved in building and improving the drones.

• Other entities that will be sanctioned are five companies that are involved in the production and assembly of the drones as well as the import of the dual-use materials and spare parts found in the drones.

• Senior officials in the European Union said that the list of bodies was compiled using intelligence reports received from Ukraine and analyzed the captured Iranian drones.

The Ukrainians were able to locate a series of dual-use materials and spare parts that the Iranians purchased from European countries to manufacture the drones.

• According to a senior European Union official, the negotiations on the sanctions package officially began today, but he emphasized that in the informal talks that took place in recent days, no country expressed opposition to the move

. to the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24.

What they say:

• The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen,

said today in a speech to the European Parliament that Iranian-made drones are killing Ukrainian citizens.

, she said.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky visiting Brussels, with the President of the European Parliament Roberta Matsula (Photo: Reuters)

Why for the record:

• The EU official stated that the EU is very concerned about the possibility that Iran will also supply short-range ballistic missiles to Russia for the war in Ukraine.

• He said that the Iranians have already signed a contract with Russia for the sale of Petah-110 missiles with a range of up to 300 kilometers, but these missiles have not yet been actually delivered.

• The EU official added that more and more countries in Europe are discussing the possibility of adding the Iranian Revolutionary Guards to their terrorist list.