Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/776 of 14 April 2025 implementing Regulation (EU) No 359/2011 concerning restrictive measures directed against certain persons, entities and bodies in view of the situation in Iran

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

Having regard to Council Regulation (EU) No 359/2011 of 12 April 2011 concerning restrictive measures directed against certain persons, entities and bodies in view of the situation in Iran (1), and in particular Article 12(1) thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy,

Whereas:

(1) On 12 April 2011, the Council adopted Regulation (EU) No 359/2011.

(2) The Council conclusions of 12 December 2022 stressed that the Union strongly rejected Iran’s practice of arbitrary detention of foreign citizens, including dual nationals, and called upon Iran to end the distressing practice of detaining innocent foreign civilians with a view to making political gains. The Union reminded Iran of its international obligations under the Vienna Conventions on Diplomatic and Consular Relations and urged the Iranian authorities to abide by these obligations.

(3) On 20 February 2023, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy issued a statement on behalf of the Union declaring that the increasing number of Union citizens currently detained by Iran on spurious grounds was of great concern. Many of those Union citizens continue to be held in degrading conditions with no chance of a fair trial. Furthermore, the Union called on Iran to strictly abide by its international obligations, in particular under the Vienna Conventions on Diplomatic and Consular Relations and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights to which Iran is a party. It stressed that the policy currently pursued by Iran, including the restrictions imposed on consular access to Member States’ nationals, the denial of consular protection and the right to a fair trial, still stands in direct violation of international law. The Union expects the Iranian authorities to facilitate the exercise of consular functions by the Member States concerned by allowing them to communicate and have regular access to their nationals, as required by international law, including the 1963 Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, to which Iran is a party. Due to the acute risk to their nationals’ personal security, Member States had recommended to their nationals, in line with their respective national risk assessments, to avoid travelling to Iran, informing them that the Union and its Member States would continue to closely monitor the situation and would act as appropriate.

(4) In that context, and in line with the Union’s commitment to address all issues of concern with Iran, including the human rights situation, seven persons and two entities should be included in the list of natural and legal persons, entities and bodies subject to restrictive measures set out in Annex I to Regulation (EU) No 359/2011.

(5) Regulation (EU) No 359/2011 should therefore be amended accordingly,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1

Annex I to Regulation (EU) No 359/2011 is amended in accordance with the Annex to this Regulation.

Article 2

This Regulation shall enter into force on the date of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.

Done at Luxembourg, 14 April 2025.

For the Council The President K. KALLAS

(1) OJ L 100, 14.4.2011, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2011/359/oj.