WANA (Sep 01) – Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson has criticized the European Union’s recent stance on US sanctions against Tehran, saying the bloc’s approach contradicts international law and its own stated commitments. He said the EU cannot support Washington’s economic pressure campaign against Iran while at the same time claiming to seek de-escalation and regional stability.

 

Esmaeil Baghaei, spokesperson for Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, made the remarks early Tuesday, September 1, in response to the European Union’s statement regarding new US sanctions against Iran. He said the EU appears to be increasingly disregarding its own independence, laws, values, and ethical principles in the face of US pressure.

 

The European Union said in a statement on Monday that it would cooperate with the United States and its allies to increase pressure on Iran. The statement came after Washington launched a new round of economic measures against Tehran, which Iranian officials have described as ineffective and destined to fail.

 

Baghaei referred to the EU’s “Blocking Statute,” saying the regulation does not recognize the extraterritorial application of laws imposed by third countries and considers compliance with such measures contrary to international law.

 

He questioned how the European Union could support US sanctions against Iran while maintaining such regulations, saying the current approach contradicts the bloc’s 1996 decision to adopt the Blocking Statute in response to the extraterritorial effects of US sanctions.

 

The Iranian diplomat added that the EU’s support for Washington’s economic pressure campaign against Tehran constitutes a serious violation of international law, and that member states should be held accountable for the consequences of their involvement in such measures.

 

In a post on X, Baghaei also compared the EU’s current position with its approach in 1996, when the bloc sought to act independently and protect its sovereignty against US sanctions policies by adopting the Blocking Statute. He said that today, the same union has turned into a supporter of Washington’s actions.

 

Baghaei emphasized that backing US economic pressure against Iran is incompatible with claims of pursuing de-escalation and regional stability, adding that such an approach reflects what he described as a decline in the EU’s political independence.