The European Union, responding to the recent Iranian attack on Israel in which it fired roughly 350 drones and missiles, decided on Monday to tighten sanctions on Iran, barring the exportation of EU-made components used for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and ballistic missiles.
“After Tehran’s attack on 13 April against Israel, which saw over 300 projectiles headed from different fronts towards the Jewish nation, the EU began working on an expanded raft of sanctions to cover the production of missiles and enlarge the catalogue of prohibited drone-related components,” EuroNews reported, noting of Iran that the “country has over the years developed an intricate network of operators to obtain sensitive dual-use items, which can be used for both military and civilian purposes, and evade long-standing international sanctions.”
The EU sanctions reportedly will increase restrictions to the “whole region of the Middle East and the Red Sea,” according to High Representative Josep Borrell.
On the other hand, no move was made by the EU to name the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization, although that idea has been discussed since the Iranian regime cracked down on protesters last year. “There are doubts within the EU members whether this step can be legally taken (which first requires a national decision in this regard, that is, for a court in one of the EU countries to declare it a terrorist organization) and, most importantly, whether it would be a convenient thing to do, as it would further close the already narrow channels of communication with Tehran,” El Pais noted.
In mid-February, every EU country except Hungary warned Israel not to attack Rafah, Hamas’ last stronghold in Gaza. In recent years, Hungary’s relations with Israel have been very warm; in May 2020, Hungarian Foreign Minister Petar Scheirto made it clear Israel could depend on Hungary for support, saying Hungary would “continue to oppose anti-Israeli statements in front of the European Union, the United Nations and in international forums.” He called accusations against Israel for war crimes “absurd” while noting that both countries had been under attack in the international arena “as a result of political voting.”