The Council of the EU expanded the scope of the bloc's sanctions framework against Iran to include individuals and entities involved in actions threatening freedom of navigation in the Middle East, particularly in the Strait of Hormuz.
The council said the amended legal framework would allow the bloc to impose restrictive measures on those linked to Iran’s actions “impeding lawful transit passage and freedom of navigation.”
The decision follows a political agreement reached by EU foreign ministers during the Foreign Affairs Council meeting on April 21, 2026.
The EU said Iran’s actions against vessels transiting through the Strait of Hormuz were “contrary to international law” and infringed on the “established rights of both transit and innocent passage through international straits.”
Under the expanded framework, the EU will be able to impose travel bans and asset freezes on listed individuals and entities.
Those sanctioned would be prohibited from entering or transiting through EU territories, while EU citizens and companies would also be barred from making funds or economic resources available to them.
