The EU is studying more sanctions on Iran after the attack on Israel and Borrell calls not to forget the massacre in Gaza

Calls for containment in the Middle East continue at the same time as the EU cuts ties with Israel following Iran’s attack. This is one of the conclusions of the emergency meeting of foreign ministers of 27 countries held by videoconference this Tuesday in which several member states, including Germany, have requested the extension of sanctions on Iran. The United States is also in the same situation. The High Representative, Josep Borrell, has assured that his department is going to start the work and has called on the Iranian attack not to push the massacre in Gaza into the background, taking advantage of his intervention. “Let’s not forget about Gaza and what’s happening there,” he stressed several times during the press conference after the meeting.

“It aims to expand the list of sanctions related to the drone regime of Iran and Russia in two directions,” said Borrell, who mentioned “the possibility of banning the production of not only drones but also missiles,” though “this There is no evidence that Iran provided missiles to Russia to attack Ukraine.” The second part deals with the “geographical scope” of these sanctions measures: “This sanctions regime will also include material supplies from Iran to its allies in the region, and not just arms supplies to Russia.” The idea is to move the arrival of weapons that are used elsewhere beyond the borders of Iraq, Lebanon or Syria.

The EU External Action Service must submit a proposal on the 27th and its approval will require unanimity. “Some have called for something that is already being implemented: a sanctions regime applied to those who supply components and parts to Iran for the production of unmanned aerial vehicles. They are asking us for something that already exists, something that was approved by the Council in July 2023,” he criticized. What he explained is that it will be “investigated” to see if other “components” could be involved or if “certain measures could be adopted to avoid potential fraud.”

In the case of sanctions against the Revolutionary Guard, which is one of the claims, Borrell has said that the conditions have not been met because a European authority must first “demonstrate some national case showing that it is involved.” There is some terrorist action.” “That is not the case at the moment,” he said.

Borrell assured that we should “pay attention” to the attacks Israel has received from Iran, but stressed that we should not turn the page on the current situation in Gaza, which is one of the EU’s concerns at this time. Is. The partners have stopped pointing the finger at Benjamin Netanyahu for that massacre. “Let’s not forget what is happening in Gaza. As long as the armed conflict in Gaza continues, and until the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is resolved, there will be no lasting stability and peace in the region,” said the head of European diplomacy, who stressed the need to release Hamas. Have given. To improve the situation of hostages and humanitarian situation.

“The population has been asked to move from south to north. It’s like going to the moon, human life is impossible. How do you tell someone to go back north? Even if there was a political agreement, I don’t know how 1.7 million people could move to the north, where conditions for human life do not exist,” he reflected.

Regarding the EU’s position, it has stressed that it “strongly” and “unanimously” condemns Iran’s attack and “reaffirms the EU’s commitment to Israel’s security.” Borrell said of the situation, which he described as “abyss”, like the UN Secretary-General, “We are united in the aim to prevent tensions from getting worse and we ask all actors to exercise restraint ” “We have to move away from the abyss. The region as a whole does not need war, nor the world, nor the people of Gaza. The war in Gaza will not stop and people’s suffering will increase.

“If the intensity of the reaction increases every time one more step is taken on the ladder, we will end up with a regional war that no one will want, but everyone will have. We are at the edge of a very deep abyss. “Member states agree to use all diplomatic tools to prevent the next step, the next action, from creating further tensions,” he said.

Borrell has justified the divergent response of some member states, including France and Germany, as well as the United States and the United Kingdom, to Iran’s attack, which he repelled with the use of air force on Israel, by maintaining that he “defended “Worked in. “Itself” because the missiles flew at its military bases in the region despite Ukraine’s denials in the case, where it has assured that such a situation will not happen.

“If I were in Zelensky’s place I would take the opportunity to remind him that Ukraine is being bombed and perhaps in a more effective way. Two days ago, Russia destroyed the most important power plant supplying electricity to Kiev. “Ukraine could not avoid it because of the lack of anti-aircraft weapons,” he illustrated: “We are working, and I especially, to achieve Ukraine’s anti-aircraft defense capability.” “I hope that on Monday there can be firm and concrete commitments in this regard,” he said of a formal meeting of EU foreign and defense ministers to be held in Luxembourg, though he also reminded that like Israel “ Steel Dome” It cannot be built immediately, even if it has “money in the box”.