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The European Union said on Monday it was ready to propose tougher sanctions on Iran following what it described as a violent crackdown on protesters.
Speaking at a news conference in Brussels, European Commission spokesperson Anouar El Anouni said the bloc stood in solidarity with the Iranian people and condemned the use of force.
“We do stand in full solidarity with the Iranian people, and we condemn the use of force against demonstrators. We are appalled by the reports of casualties,” he said.
El Anouni said the EU was prepared to move ahead with new measures, but that any decision would require the backing of all member states.
“We stand ready to propose new, more severe sanctions following the violent crackdown on protesters. This is a decision for Member States to take unanimously in the Council,” he said.
He added that the EU already had a legal framework in place targeting those responsible for serious human rights violations in Iran.
“We have a dedicated legal framework that is targeting perpetrators of serious human rights violations and abuses in Iran,” he said.
Iran’s parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf warned US President Donald Trump on Monday against what he described as threats toward Iran, saying any attack would be met with a strong response.
“We have heard that you have threatened Iran,” Ghalibaf said, according to state media. “The defenders of Iran will teach you an unforgettable lesson.”
He added that US assets in the region would be destroyed if Washington acted against Tehran.
“All American centers and forces throughout the region will be our legitimate targets in response to any potential adventurism. Come and see how all your capabilities in the region will be wiped out,” he said.
Addressing Trump directly, Ghalibaf said: “Do not believe the lies that are being told to you.”
Switzerland on Monday expressed deep concern over arrests and deaths linked to protests in Iran and urged authorities to end violence against demonstrators.
The Swiss government said in a statement that it was closely following developments in Iran amid reports of widespread detentions and fatalities during anti-government demonstrations.
It called on Iranian authorities to stop using force against protesters and to guarantee human rights and fundamental freedoms for all participants in the protests.
Iran’s foreign ministry summoned the ambassadors of Britain, Germany, France and Italy on Monday after their governments expressed support for protests in the country, state media reported.
During the meeting, Iranian officials showed the envoys what they described as video evidence of violent acts by protesters, saying the actions went beyond peaceful demonstrations.
Tehran asked the ambassadors to pass the footage directly to their foreign ministers and urged their governments to retract official statements backing the protesters.
Iran said any political or media support for the demonstrations was unacceptable and amounted to interference in its internal security, the report said.
Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof said on Monday that Iran’s leadership was using force to crush protests, leading to many deaths, and called on Tehran to end the violence, release those wrongly detained and restore internet access.
In a post on X, Schoof said the men and women protesting in Iranian cities deserved international support as they stood up to what he called tyranny and spoke out for freedom.
“The Netherlands urgently calls on the Iranian regime to stop this violence, release people who have been unjustly arrested, and restore access to the internet,” he wrote.
“We stand firmly for the rights of the Iranian people,” he added.
