Iran imposed new sanctions on individuals and entities in the EU and the UK on 12 December for their support of “terrorism and violation of the human rights of the Iranian people,” according to Tasnim news agency.

The sanctions prohibit these individuals from entering Iran, order the confiscation of their property and assets on Iranian soil, and the blocking of their bank accounts in the country.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry stated that the sanctions are a “reciprocal” response to the restrictive measures imposed by the EU since the beginning of protests shaking Iran over the death of Mahsa Amini.

The blacklist includes the former President of the German Parliament Rita Sussmuth, her former Vice-President Claudia Roth or the former German Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer. A citizen of France, a country also accused by Iran, together with Germany, of promoting the protests, has also been sanctioned, as is the French politician and diplomat Bernard Kouchner, according to Al-Jazeera news.

Among the companies sanctioned are the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, which published caricatures of the Prophet Mohammed, as well as Radio Farda, the Persian section of the CIA-affiliated Radio Free Europe, and Radio Zamaneh, an opposition media based in the Netherlands.

In addition, the Iranian government has sanctioned 13 individuals and four institutions in the UK, including the most senior military officer, Admiral Tony Radakin, the Minister of Immigration, Robert Jenrick, and the director of the British secret services MI5, Ken McCallum. The Tony Blair Institute for Global Change has also been sanctioned.

On 4 November, the foreign ministers of the G7 group of nations issued a statement following a meeting in Germany, condemning Iran for what they referred to as a “violent crackdown” on protesters, as well as its “destabilizing activities.”

The Iranian Foreign Ministry responded to the G7 statement on 9 November, referring to it as “baseless” and as a violation of the UN Charter, which calls against the incitement of riots and “terrorist attacks.”

The Foreign Ministry has also condemned Germany’s recent call for sanctions against Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

Two months ago, the Islamic Republic sent several letters to European diplomats warning them that the aggressive EU sanction policy against Tehran could result in a “rupture” of relations between them.