TEHRAN — Iranian Foreign Ministry issued a statement on Wednesday announcing sanctions against 8 entities and 12 individuals within the European Union geography.

The actions is taken in reciprocation to the European Union sanctioning several Iranian entities and individuals under the false pretext of terrorism.

In this regard, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian told the press on Wednesday, “In response to the unconstructive action of the European Union, we published a new list of sanctions of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran against 8 entities and 12 individuals within the framework of the European Union today. These institutions and individuals had supported and intensified terror, extremism and violence in the recent events that happened in Iran. In our opinion, these institutions and sanctioned persons are considered examples of the definition of terrorism and will be dealt with in this framework.”

Below is the statement of the Iranian foreign ministry:

The Islamic Republic of Iran Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as per the ratifications of pertinent authorities and within the framework of relevant regulations and sanctions mechanisms and as reciprocation, places under sanctions the following institutions and individuals in the European Union region for their deliberate acts to support terrorism and terrorist groups, promote and incite terrorism and violence, and engage in hatred-mongering, which have caused rioting, violence, acts of terror, and violations of human rights against the Iranian nation:

The following institutions will be placed under sanctions:

-  The so-called “Friends of Iran” group and its members at the European Parliament

-  The International Committee in Search of Justice (ISJ) and its members

-  Stop the Bomb organization

-  Deutsche Welle Persian

-  RFI Persian

-  France’s International League Against Racism and Anti-Semitism (LICRA)

-  Germany’s Karl Kolb Co., the provider of chemical weapons to the regime of Saddam Hussein

-  Germany’s Rhein Bayern Fahrzeugbau Co., the provider of chemical agents to the regime of Saddam Hussein

The following individuals will be placed under sanctions:

-  President of the International Committee in Search of Justice Alejo Vidal-Quadras

-  Javier Zarzalejos, co-chair of the so-called “Friends of Free Iran” intergroup at the European Parliament

-  Milan Azver, co-chair of the so-called “Friends of Free Iran” intergroup at the European Parliament

-  Member of the European Parliament Charlier Weimers

-  Member of the European Parliament Jan Zahradil

-  Member of the European Parliament Helmot Geuking

-  Member of the European Parliament Hermann Tertsch

-  Meyer Habib, member of the French National Assembly

-  Martine Valleton, mayor of Villepinte, France

-  Jean Francois Legaret, former mayor of 1st arrondissement of Paris

-  Johanned Boie, chief editor of Germany’s Bild newspaper

-  Alexandra Würzbach, chief editor of Germany’s Bild newspaper

The said sanctions include bans on the issuance of visas and bans on the entry of the said individuals to the Islamic Republic of Iran and the confiscation of their properties in territory subject to the jurisdiction of the Islamic Republic of Iran. All institutions of the Islamic Republic of Iran will take necessary action to enforce these sanctions as per the ratifications of pertinent authorities.

Reminding the obligations of the European Union and the respective governments of the above individuals and institutions, the Islamic Republic of Iran deems support for, facilitation of, and failure to stop the activities of these individuals and institutions as violations of the international obligations of the European Union and the relevant governments and holds them responsible and accountable. It is obvious that the sanctions action will not exclude the criminal prosecution of individuals for involvement in criminal acts in legal courts with due jurisdiction.

The Islamic Republic of Iran Ministry of Foreign Affairs, again, strongly rejects and condemns the move by the Council of the European Union on October 17, 2022 to enforce illegal restrictive measures against Iranian individuals and institutions based on baseless accusations, which is an explicit example of interference in the internal affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran.