Kaya Kallas: The EU is preparing new sanctions against Iran due to the suppression of protests

Head of European diplomacy Kaya Kallas stated that European Union preparing to introduce new sanctions against Iran in response to the “barbaric suppression of demonstrations.”

“EU has already introduced large-scale sanctions against Iran – against those responsible for human rights violations, nuclear proliferation activities, as well as for Tehran’s support for Russia’s war against Ukraine“- said Callas in an interview with a German newspaper Die Weltpublished on Sunday.

She emphasized that ready to propose additional restrictive measures in response to the brutal actions of Iranian authorities against protesters.

According to information German News Agencyat the first stage it is expected to make proposals on punitive measures against those directly responsible for violence against demonstrators, including members of the Iranian government.

Possible sanctions may include entry bans to the EU territory, as well as asset freezeunder the jurisdiction of the European Union.

According to Vice-President of the European Commission And EU High Representative for Foreign AffairsIranian citizens are “risking everything to make their voices heard” while the country’s authorities have long and difficult history of suppressing protestsonce again resorting to harsh action by security forces.

Editorial comment

Statements by European leaders on “barbaric suppression of protests” in Iran the question is inevitably raised selectivity similar rhetoric. The history of recent decades shows that the language of human rights in international politics is used not universalbut depending on who exactly is the source of violence.

When victims die as a result of the actions of regimes declared “illegitimate,” this immediately becomes the basis for sanctions, harsh language and moral accusations. However, in cases where the death of civilians may result from military action strategic allies of the Westthe same rhetoric, as a rule, is replaced by cautious formulas “concerns”, “calls for restraint” and “tragic consequences”.

Such asymmetry undermines the very idea of ​​protecting human rights as a universal principle and turns it into tool of political pressure. In this context, a logical question arises: will European leaders be as categorical in their assessments if violence against Iranian citizens is the result of an external military strike, and not the actions of the regime itself.

So far, practice shows that for some states the language of sanctions and moral condemnation is effective, while for others it is the language of euphemisms and diplomatic silence. And it is this, and not declarations of values, that remains the main source of distrust in Western policy in the Middle East and beyond.

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