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EU’s Kallas threatens tougher sanctions on Iran over brutal crackdown

Kaja Kallas, European Union’s foreign policy chief

12 January 2026 13:13 (UTC +04:00)

The EU’s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, is gearing up to pitch fresh sanctions against Iran following a government crackdown that has reportedly killed hundreds of people since protests broke out nearly two weeks ago, APA reports.

“The EU already has sweeping sanctions in place on Iran — on those responsible for human rights abuses, nuclear proliferation activities and Tehran’s support for Russia’s war in Ukraine — and I am prepared to propose additional sanctions in response to the regime’s brutal repression of protestors,” Kallas told POLITICO’s Brussels Playbook.

The proposal marks the strongest response yet from an EU official to Iran’s bloody crackdown. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said over the weekend that Brussels was “monitoring” the situation, while European Parliament President Roberta Metsola wrote on X that “Europe must understand its duty and need to act.”

“The regime has a track-record of crushing protests, and we see a heavy-handed response by the security forces,” Kallas added in the written comments. “Citizens are fighting for a future of their own choosing and risking everything to be heard.”