Iran has expanded its sanctions list to include more European organizations, politicians, and representatives of civil society. The international organization Christians for Israel (C4I), which also includes the German branch Christians on the Side of Israel (CSI), is now on the list.
As the Iranian Foreign Ministry announced on Tuesday evening, further "natural and legal persons of the EU and UK regimes" have been sanctioned. The justification given was that those targeted support "terrorism and terrorist groups." They "encourage interference in the internal affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran, incite violence and unrest in Iran, spread false information about Iran, and participate in the intensification of cruel sanctions against the Iranian people as economic terrorism.".
The statement goes on to say that Tehran “condemns the actions of the EU and the United Kingdom that support the destructive activities of the aforementioned individuals and organizations.”
CSI's chairman, Luca Hezel, commented on the listing: "Anyone who ends up on the sanctions list of Israel's biggest enemy must have done something right. In this context, we see the inclusion of our organization as an honor and recognition of the effectiveness of our important work alongside Israel."
Even the president of the Central Council of Jews, Josef Schuster, sanctioned the measures
The list includes Christians for Israel, the chairman of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, Josef Schuster, the lobbying organization European Coalition for Israel, ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems GmbH, and various members of the Bundestag. Among them are the chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee in the Bundestag, Michael Roth (SPD), the CDU/CSU parliamentary group's spokesperson on the Foreign Affairs Committee, Roderich Kiesewetter, and the parliamentarian Renata Alt (FDP).
Anyone on Iran's sanctions list is prohibited from entering the Islamic Republic or meeting with official Iranian representatives. Furthermore, their assets and accounts within Iranian territory are frozen.
Iran was reacting to measures taken by the European Union. On Monday, the EU imposed sanctions on Iranian state officials, individuals, and organizations for serious human rights violations.
