European Union Imposes Sanctions on Iran for 'Assassination Plot on European Soil'

On Tuesday, January 8, the Danish Foreign Minister announced that the European Union has agreed to impose sanctions on an Iranian intelligence agency due to 'planning an assassination on European soil.' Anders Samuelsen wrote on his personal Twitter: 'A significant day for European foreign policy! The EU has agreed to impose sanctions against an Iranian intelligence agency for assassination plots in Europe. This is a strong message from the EU that we do not accept such behavior in Europe.' Following this tweet, Reuters reported that under this new sanction, the assets of one unit of Iran's Ministry of Intelligence and two of its employees will be frozen by the EU. Informed sources in the EU told Radio Farda that the sanctioned entity is the Internal Security Office of the Ministry of Intelligence, and the two individuals sanctioned are 'Saeed Hashemi Moghaddam and Assadollah Assadi.' Assadollah Assadi is an Iranian diplomat who was arrested in July in Germany in connection with allegations of attempting to bomb a meeting of the Mujahedin-e Khalq in Paris. Saeed Hashemi Moghaddam is also the Deputy Minister of Intelligence in Iran, accused of ordering the bombing at an opposition gathering in the suburbs of Paris. This informed source told Radio Farda that during the Tuesday meeting of the EU's General Affairs Council, which usually includes EU ministers and sometimes foreign ministers of member states, the list of individuals and terrorist groups known as number 931 was reviewed. According to this source, it was decided in this meeting to extend this list for another six months. It was also decided that an entity referred to as an Iranian security agency and two individuals would be added to this list. The EU is expected to officially announce this decision on Wednesday. Meanwhile, a Wall Street Journal reporter based in Brussels reports that according to the Danish Foreign Minister, this sanction is being imposed due to Iran's 'plots' for assassination in Paris and Denmark, and Mr. Samuelsen added that this sanction will not affect the EU's support for the JCPOA. The Danish Foreign Minister also emphasized that the EU 'will defend its values and security.' No official in Iran has yet responded to this news. On October 30, Denmark accused Iran's Ministry of Intelligence of attempting to assassinate an activist opposed to the Islamic Republic. The Danish Security Service announced that an Iranian-Norwegian citizen was arrested in the country on suspicion of collaborating with Iran's Ministry of Intelligence and attempting to attack members of the 'Ahvaz Movement,' but this individual has denied the charges. Finn Bork Andersen, head of the Danish Security Service, reported that the security services of Norway and Sweden have also cooperated with the Danish police in this matter. The Danish police stated that this individual was seen taking photos of members of the 'Ahvaz Liberation Movement' in Ringsted, 60 kilometers southwest of Copenhagen. Denmark stated that the operation on September 28, which led to the lockdown of access to Ringsted Island, occurred after the police noticed a stolen vehicle with Swedish plates near the home of one of the activists opposed to the Islamic Republic. According to Bork Andersen, the Danish Security Service (known as PET) conducted a search operation due to concerns about an imminent attack, and for this purpose, the country's borders with Germany and Sweden were closed. Investigators found that this vehicle was not related to PET's operations, but later found evidence indicating 'illegal Iranian activities related to the opponents of the Islamic Republic.' In response, Denmark summoned its ambassador for consultations from Tehran. The news of the new sanctions against Iran comes as Denmark announced on November 20 that it would return its ambassador to Tehran. On the other hand, France announced on September 30 that it had frozen assets belonging to the Islamic Republic's Ministry of Intelligence and two Iranian citizens due to their connection to the failed attack on a Paris conference; it was also announced that an Iranian diplomat had been expelled from France. The Mujahedin-e Khalq conference was held on June 30 in the suburbs of Paris, and following that, French officials reported thwarting a plot to attack this conference. After that, an Iranian diplomat in Europe, named Assadollah Assadi, was arrested as the main suspect in this failed plot. This diplomat has been accused of providing about half a kilogram of explosives to a couple residing in Belgium for them to attack the Paris conference. The Mujahedin-e Khalq identified this couple as Amir Saadouni and Nasrin Nomani. Iran has strongly denied these accusations, calling them a 'ridiculous show.' The list of individuals and entities that the EU has previously acted to freeze their assets includes 13 individuals and 21 organizations and groups, four of whom are Iranian. The names of these Iranian citizens include Qassem Soleimani, commander of the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Abdolreza Shahlaei, known as Haji Youssef, stationed at the Mehran base in Ilam province, Ali Gholam Shakouri, born in Tehran, and Hamid Abdollahi, known as Mostafa Abdollahi. On Tuesday, hours after the new tweet from the Danish Foreign Minister regarding Iran, Stef Blok, the Dutch Foreign Minister, also stated that the Islamic Republic's government is involved in two political murders in the Netherlands that have previously led to sanctions against Iran.