Iran Warns Europe Against Following US Sanctions

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei has warned European countries against aligning themselves with US sanctions on Tehran, urging the European Union to prioritize its own sovereignty, national interests and economic ties rather than complying with Washington’s demands. Speaking at his weekly press conference, Baghaei said Europe had already tried to accommodate the United States at the UN Security Council and the IAEA Board of Governors, but the approach had only weakened Europe’s influence.

Baghaei pointed to the EU’s Blocking Statute, arguing that European companies are prohibited from complying with certain US secondary sanctions and that European governments are expected to protect their businesses from such measures. He described the EU’s support for US sanctions as contrary to international law and said that if Europe values its credibility and strategic independence, it should not participate in what he called Washington’s “economic war” against Iran.

On the nuclear issue, Baghaei accused the United States, Britain, France and Germany of using the IAEA as a mechanism for political pressure. He argued that US and Israeli attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities were responsible for restricting IAEA access, yet Iran was now being blamed for the resulting situation. Baghaei warned that Tehran would take appropriate measures against any “ill-advised” action by Washington and the three European countries, stressing that repeating previously failed policies would be a mistake.