The European Union says it has agreed to broaden the sanctions on Iranian producers of drones and missiles after Tehran’s attack on Israel.
European Council President Charles Michel argues that it is very important to do everything to isolate Iran.
The US on its part has hinted it will impose its own new penalties in the coming days.
The EU’s new sanctions were agreed during a summit in Brussels which marked the first meeting between the bloc’s 27 leaders since Iran’s direct assault on Israel on Saturday.
Recall that the attack involved more than 300 missiles and drones fired from Iran, Iraq, Syria and Yemen which were mostly downed by Israel and its allies.
Tehran has maintained it was retaliation for a presumed Israeli air strike on its consulate in Syria on April 1, in which 13 people were killed.
Israel – which appears to have countered with a diplomatic offensive so far – has not ruled out a response.
But world leaders have continued to urge restraint, in a bid to prevent a wider conflict in the Middle East.
Israel has called on its allies to sanction Tehran’s missile programme and for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps- a major military and political force in Iran – to be designated a terrorist organisation.
The EU already has a wide range of measures in place which target Iran over its human rights abuses, nuclear proliferation activities and military support for Russia.
