EU to tighten Iran sanctions after Israel attack

The EU has agreed to grow sanctions connected Iranian producers of drones and missiles pursuing Tehran's unprecedented onslaught connected Israel.

"It's precise important to bash everything to isolate Iran," European Council President Charles Michel said.

The bloc already has aggregate sanctions successful spot against Iran, including for selling drones to Russia for usage successful its warfare against Ukraine.

The US has hinted it volition enforce its ain caller penalties successful the coming days.

The EU's caller sanctions were agreed during a acme successful Brussels which marked the archetypal gathering betwixt the bloc's 27 leaders since Iran's nonstop battle connected Israel connected Saturday, involving much than 300 missiles and drones fired from Iran, Iraq, Syria and Yemen which were mostly downed by Israel and its allies.

Tehran has maintained it was retaliation for a presumed Israeli aerial onslaught connected its consulate successful Syria connected 1 April, successful which 13 radical were killed.

Israel - which appears to person lone countered with a diplomatic violative truthful acold - has not ruled retired a response.

But satellite leaders person continued to impulse restraint, successful a bid to forestall a wider struggle successful the Middle East.

"For us, it is important that this infinitesimal is present besides utilized for further de-escalation and that Israel besides uses this occurrence to fortify its presumption successful the full portion and not respond with a monolithic onslaught of its own," German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said aft Wednesday's meeting.

Israel has called connected its allies to authorisation Tehran's rocket programme and for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) - a large subject and governmental unit successful Iran - to beryllium designated a violent organisation, thing the US has done but the EU and UK person not.

The EU already has a wide scope of measures successful spot which people Iran implicit its quality rights abuses, atomic proliferation activities and subject enactment for Russia.

Speaking astir the anticipation of further sanctions connected Tuesday, US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said that "all options to disrupt violent financing of Iran proceed to beryllium connected the table".

She besides signalled that Iran's lipid exports could beryllium "a imaginable area" Washington targets.

"Clearly, Iran is continuing to export immoderate oil. There whitethorn beryllium much that we could do."

In a aboriginal statement, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said that Iran's rocket and drone programme arsenic good arsenic the IRGC and the Iranian defence ministry would besides beryllium covered.