The European Union said further sanctions against the Iranian government would be “swiftly proposed” in response to what she called an “excessive use of force” used against anti-regime protesters in the country. Rights groups estimate hundreds have been killed in Iran and people are subjected to an oppressive communications blackout.
“The rising number of casualties in Iran is horrifying. I unequivocally condemn the excessive use of force and continued restriction of freedom,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in a statement Tuesday.
“Further sanctions on those responsible for the repression will be swiftly proposed,” she said, adding that the E.U. has already sanctioned the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps “in its entirety.”
E.U. foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas announced this week that she was willing to propose new sanctions against Iran over its brutal response to the protests, in addition to the sweeping sanctions that the bloc has imposed on Iran over human rights abuses, nuclear activities and support for Russia.
Videos posted to social media by Iranian opposition groups — which could not immediately be verified by The Washington Post — showed dozens of corpses in body bags; these are the latest videos to have leaked from Iran following days of an internet blackout.
The European response comes as the White House signaled that President Donald Trump is weighing diplomatic options with Iran while considering potential responses, including military strikes.
“Airstrikes would be one of the many, many options that are on the table for the commander in chief,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Monday. She added: “Diplomacy is always the first option for the president.”
Steve Witkoff, Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East, “will continue to be a very important player in diplomacy with respect to Iran,” Leavitt Said.
Trump on Monday also imposed an immediate 25 percent tariff on goods from nations doing business with Iran, which will mean higher prices for American importers of products from major countries, such as China, India and Turkey.
Earlier that day, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran was keeping lines of communication with the U.S. open and is ready for either “war” or dialogue. “We are not warmongers, but we are prepared for war. … We are also prepared for negotiations, but fair negotiations, with equal rights and mutual respect,” he said to a gathering of ambassadors in Iran.
Meanwhile, human rights groups monitoring the protests in Iran warned of an escalating human toll. The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency estimates 646 protesters have been killed since demonstrations began on Dec. 28. The Post could not independently verify the toll.
Ellen Francis contributed to this report.
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