The European Union is moving towards sanctioning those responsible for blocking the Strait of Hormuz.
On Friday, May 22, the European Union announced that its member states are moving towards imposing sanctions on officials of the Islamic Republic of Iran and other individuals identified as responsible for blocking the Strait of Hormuz.
European governments, considering this action contrary to international laws, have taken a technical step to expand the scope of existing sanctions against the Islamic Republic of Iran to target more individuals. The European Council stated that the European Union will now be able to impose further punitive measures in response to Iran’s actions that disrupt the freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
The closure of the Strait of Hormuz, through which normally one-fifth of the world’s oil production passes, along with the ongoing war, has dealt a severe shock to the global economy and significantly increased energy prices. The new sanctions, which will include travel bans and asset freezes, go beyond the EU’s previous sanctions related to human rights and Iran’s military support for Russia and regional groups.
