Iran’s intelligence services were hit by sanctions from the EU on 7th January. It was alleged that Tehran was behind the plot to assassinate regime rivals on Danish, Dutch and French soil respectively.

The move taken by the 28-country bloc was declared as the Dutch government stated that it suspected Iran was behind the murders of two separatists in 2015 and 2017. Danish Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen stated that the decision that was taken was very reassuring. He added that the EU has just acceded on new aimed sanctions against Iran in reply to unfriendly actions and plots being hatched and executed in Europe, as well as in Denmark.

Officials stated that the sanctions would comprise of freezing of funds and other financial assets that belongs to the Iranian intelligence ministry as well as to Iranian individuals. However, Javad Zarif, Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad condemned European nations and stated that the EU was giving shelter to terrorists. Javed stated that blaming Iran won’t absolve Europe from the accountability of hosting terrorists.

Denmark led the endeavour for enforcing sanctions after the accusation that Tehran tried to kill three Iranian rebels on Danish soil.

On 28th September a search related to the so-called plot against three Iranians who were doubted to belong to the Arab Struggle Movement for the Liberation of Ahvaz (ASMLA) led to the closedown of bridges leading to Sweden, as well as ferries.

France last year enforced sanctions on two suspected Iranian agents and others belonging to Iran’s intelligence and security ministry. The French security services deduced that the head of operations at the Iranian intelligence ministry had given the orders to plot a bomb in the rally of the People’s Mujahedeen of Iran (MEK) opposition group in a suburb of Paris in June last year; however, Tehran denied the charge.

The EU sanctions on Iran after the US pulled out from the nuclear deal. However, the US supports the sanctions and stand by the side of the allies on this matter. The MEK-associated National Council of Resistance of Iran stated that the EU sanctions a positive one and urged the bloc to remove all of Tehran’s “agents” from European soil.