The Council of the European Union said Monday it had extended sanctions over serious human rights violations in Iran until April 13, 2027.
The measures include travel bans, asset freezes and restrictions on exports to Iran of equipment that could be used for internal repression or telecommunications monitoring, the Council said. EU citizens and companies are also prohibited from making funds available to those listed under the sanctions regime.
The Council said one deceased individual had been removed from the list during the latest review. The sanctions now apply to 262 individuals and 53 entities.
The European Union first introduced the sanctions framework in 2011 and has renewed it every year since. It has expanded the measures sharply since 2022 amid rising concern over human rights abuses in Iran.
In background released with the decision, the Council referred to a Jan. 9, 2026 statement from the EU’s foreign policy chief condemning violence, arbitrary detention and intimidation by Iranian security forces against demonstrators.
The statement called for the release of people detained for exercising their basic rights and urged Iranian authorities to respect freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and access to information, including internet access.
The EU said it supported the Iranian people’s hopes for a future in which their rights and freedoms are protected.
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