Iran threatens retaliation against new Western sanctions

Tehran, Jan 24 (EFE).- Iran on Tuesday “strongly condemned” new sanctions imposed by the European Union (EU) and the United Kingdom over the alleged repression of anti-government protests and said it would soon announce “reciprocal action.”

In a statement, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani said the move by the EU and Britain showed “their mental inability to correctly understand the realities of Iran and their confusion regarding the power of the Islamic Republic.”

“They know well that sanctions will not undermine the will and determination of the Iranian nation in countering foreign interference and plots,” the spokesperson said.

He said Iran reserved the right to take “reciprocal action on such failed policies and will soon announce a new list of sanctions against violators of human rights and promoters of terrorism in the European Union and the UK.”

Kanaani described the sanctions against some Iranian lawmakers and members of the judiciary, military, law enforcement, and cultural departments as “a show of desperation, disillusionment, and anger over their recent humiliating defeat in fomenting instability in Iran.”

On Monday, the EU sanctioned 37 Iranians and entities for their alleged involvement in the brutal response to country-wide protests against the government since September last year.

It is the fourth round of European sanctions against Iran over the alleged deterioration of the human rights situation in the Islamic republic.

The British government also announced Monday sanctions on Iranian officials, including Deputy Attorney General Ahmad Fazelian.

The sanctions include freezing assets and travel restrictions to the EU and the UK.

The United States has also announced new sanctions against Iranian officials in the ninth round of American embargoes since the protests began in September last year.

However, Kanaani did not refer to the new US sanctions in the statement.

Iran was shaken for months by the protests triggered by the alleged death in custody of Kurdish woman Mahsa Amini, 22, in Tehran on Sep.16.

Amini was detained by the morality police on Sep.13 allegedly for improperly donning her hijab.

The unrest evolved into demands calling for the end of the Islamic republic founded by Ayatollah Khomeini in 1979.

Some 500 people have reportedly died in the unrest.

The security forces have arrested thousands for inciting and participating in demonstrations.

At least four protesters have been executed. Some 17 are on death row.

The protests have lost intensity after the executions of the four protesters.

There have hardly been any mobilizations on the streets in recent weeks.

The brutal police crackdown against protesters has provoked international condemnation and sanctions from Western countries. EFE