EU ministers adopt Iran sanctions over citizen detentions

European Union foreign ministers on Monday adopted sanctions against seven Iranian individuals and two organisations over the detention of EU citizens, which the bloc calls a policy of state-sponsored hostage-taking, diplomats said.

A list of those sanctioned, seen by Reuters, included the director of Tehran's Evin prison and several judges and other judicial officials. The main prison in the city of Shiraz was among the organisations sanctioned.

EU sanctions consist of a freeze on any assets held in the European Union and a ban on any travel into the bloc.

In recent years, Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards have arrested dozens of dual nationals and foreigners, mostly on charges related to espionage and security. Among them are at least 20 European citizens, diplomats say.

Rights groups have accused Iran of trying to extract concessions from countries through such arrests, allegations denied by Iran, which does not recognise dual nationality.

France, which has two of its nationals detained in what it has described as conditions akin to torture, has led efforts to add pressure on Iran over the issue.

"I am happy that we can take these sanctions today against seven people and two entities, including the Shiraz prison," French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot told reporters on his arrival at an EU meeting in Luxembourg.

"It's about time, because the conditions in which some of our compatriots - French and European - are being held are unworthy," he added.

As part of efforts to raise pressure on Iran, France is preparing a complaint at the International Court of Justice against Iran for violating the right to consular protection. 

The UK on Monday also imposed sanctions on an organisation and an individual under its Iran sanctions regime, citing involvement in hostile activity backed by the Iranian government.

An update to the government website showed new sanctions, including asset freezes and director disqualifications, against the Foxtrot Network and Rawa Majid over "activity which aids or facilitates serious organised crime in the United Kingdom or any other country".

The move comes a month after US sanctions on Foxtrot and Majid. The US government statement from March referred to the group as a criminal gang based in Sweden and called Majid its "fugitive leader"

(Reuters)