New ice age between Brussels and Tehran

The EU imposes additional punitive measures on the regime in Iran for cracking down on protests led by women. Tensions mount as more and more Europeans are imprisoned.

“Long and difficult” is how French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna describes her recent phone call with her Iranian colleague Hossein Amirabdollahian. Seven French people are in prison in Iran, and Germans, Spaniards and Swedes have also been arrested for allegedly fueling the wave of protests against the Islamic Republic. Amirabdollahian is threatening consequences because of European support for the demonstrators, but the EU decided on Monday to introduce new sanctions against Tehran: a new political ice age is beginning between Iran and Europe.