E.U. Sanctions IRGC Navy Over Strait of Hormuz Blockade

The European Union has approved sanctions against Iran’s navy in response to its obstruction of maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. This move followed Iran’s implementation of a toll system for ships passing through the crucial waterway, a reaction to Israeli-American strikes in late February.

The Council of the European Union announced that the sanctions target the part of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy (IRGCN) responsible for the tolls, as well as two Iranian officials. Mohammad Akbarzadeh, the navy’s deputy commander for political affairs, and Hamid Hosseini, a representative of the Oil, Gas and Petrochemicals Exporters Union, will face asset freezes and travel bans. Additionally, the provision of funds or economic resources to them is prohibited.

The EU’s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, emphasized at a news conference that Tehran’s actions are seen as unacceptable. “Tehran actively, effectively closed the Strait, and its drones continue to threaten the maritime traffic,” Kallas noted. Cargo vessels were observed in the Strait of Hormuz near Bandar Abbas, Iran.

In parallel, Iran reportedly fired several missiles towards Israel, which were mostly intercepted by Israeli defense systems. The operational units of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps maintain a state of readiness, as indicated in their recent communications.