WANA (Jul 15) – The European Union on Tuesday imposed sanctions on eight individuals and one entity, citing alleged human rights violations linked to Iran.

 

Among those added to the EU sanctions list are the so-called “Zindashti Network” and its leader, Naji Ibrahim Sharifi Zindashti, along with Abdulwahab Koochak, Ali Esfanjani, Ali Koochak, Akram Abdulkarim Oztunc, and Nihat Abdulqadir Asan. Reza Hamidi Ravari and Mohammadreza Ansari were also included in the updated blacklist.

 

The EU claimed in a statement that these individuals are responsible for serious human rights violations outside Iran, acting on behalf of the Islamic Republic.

 

As a result of the sanctions, their assets in EU jurisdictions are frozen, and EU citizens and companies are prohibited from engaging in financial transactions with them. The sanctioned individuals are also barred from entering or transiting through EU member states.

 

In response, the Islamic Republic of Iran condemned the EU’s accusations, describing them as an attempt to distract public opinion from what it called “the most pressing issue of the day” — the genocide of Palestinians and the war-mongering actions of the Israeli regime in West Asia.

 

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmail Baghaei had earlier criticized certain European countries for supplying lethal weapons to Israel, which he said are being used in genocidal attacks in Gaza and Lebanon.

 

He labeled these nations as complicit in crimes against the people of Palestine and Lebanon and emphasized that their actions violate international law, particularly the Genocide Convention, making them internationally accountable.