Iran imposes sanctions on members of the Bundestag

A day after EU sanctions against Iran were tightened, Tehran in turn imposed sanctions on more than 30 European Union (EU) companies and individuals, including German politicians. According to a list published on Tuesday by the Iranian foreign ministry on its website, the sanctions will affect members of the Bundestag Roderich Kiesewetter (CDU) and Renata Alt (FDP), among others.

Already tense relations between Tehran and the West were further strained by two sentences handed down in Iran on Tuesday: German-Iranian Jamshid Sharmahd was sentenced to death on terrorism charges and an Austrian was sentenced to seven and a half years in prison in yet another espionage trial.

Since the beginning of the year, 55 death sentences have already been carried out

According to a statement from Iran’s foreign ministry, those affected by the sanctions are accused of “supporting terrorism, interfering in the country’s internal affairs and inciting violence and unrest in Iran”. Several arms companies and members of the EU parliament and national parliaments are also on the sanctions list. All were subject to asset and entry bans.

On Monday, EU foreign ministers tightened their sanctions against Tehran over continued violence against demonstrators in Iran. They imposed property and entry bans on 32 other Iranian leaders and two organizations. The EU holds those affected responsible, among other things, for the suppression of freedom of expression and the recent series of executions in Iran.

Human rights activists have counted a total of 55 executions in Iran since the start of the year, four of them related to anti-government protests since September. The demonstrations were provoked by the death of 22-year-old Kurd Mahsa Amini. She died after being arrested by the vice squad for violating the strict Islamic dress code. Hundreds of people were killed and thousands arrested during the protests. (AFP)

Source: Blick