FM slams reported EU plans to impose sanctions on Iran’s shipping lines

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has said that reports that the European Union (EU) is planning to impose sanctions on the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL) are another sign the bloc’s behavior toward Iran has no legal, logical, or moral basis.

Araghchi said in a post on the X on Sunday that the planned EU move would again be based on unfounded claims that Iran has been delivering missiles to Russia for use in the ongoing war in Ukraine.

He said that the EU had used the same pretexts to announce sanctions on Iran Air last month, a decision he described as an “indiscriminate targeting of air travelers”.

“Now, the EU is using the same non-existent missile pretext to also target our shipping lines,” said the minister, adding, “If anything, it will only compel what it ostensibly seeks to prevent.”

A reporter of the US-based newspaper the Wall Street Journal claimed in a Saturday report that the EU is set to announce sanctions on the IRISL.

“More EU Iran sanctions coming Monday over missile deliveries to Russia as previewed previously. Will include a few sectoral sanctions, including shipping,” Laurence Norman wrote on his X account.

Araghchi said that the sanctions on Iranian shipping lines would backfire, adding that they would be against freedom of navigation as a basic principle of the law of the sea.

Iran has repeatedly rejected accusations it has been supplying weapons to Russia for use in the ongoing war in Ukraine.

The EU accused Iran Air and two other Iranian airlines in its sanctions announcement in mid-October that they have had a role in the alleged supply of drones and missiles from Iran to Russia.

The decision led to Iran Air canceling its regular weekly flights to seven destinations in EU countries.

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