Iran’s attack on Israel: Emmanuel Macron is in favor of expanding sanctions against Tehran

It’s a “duty,” he said. Emmanuel Macron called on Wednesday to “expand” sanctions against Iran following Tehran’s unprecedented attack on Israel on Saturday. “Our duty is to expand these sanctions so that they are focused on the regime in Tehran,” the French president said from Brussels, where he is attending a European summit until Thursday.

“We are in favor of sanctions that can also be directed against all those who help create missiles and drones that were used during the attack from last Saturday to Sunday and which are also used in the Ukrainian theater of operations,” the head of state also said.

Unprecedented attack

Iran launched an unprecedented attack on Israel overnight, launching 350 drones and missiles against the Jewish state in response to the April 1 attack on its consulate in Damascus, Syria. Almost all of these shells were intercepted by Israeli air defenses with the help of the United States and other allied countries, including France. Israel has since declared its determination to respond to the attack.

A number of countries have expressed a desire to strengthen sanctions against the Tehran regime, which is already subject to a strict regime of punitive measures. The White House announced it would impose “new sanctions on Iran, including its drone and missile programs,” its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the Islamic Republic’s ideological army and its Department of Defense. The European Union is also considering expanding the scope of its sanctions. German Foreign Minister Annalena Bärbock on Tuesday called for new European sanctions on Iranian drones.

His British counterpart David Cameron, for his part, expressed hope on Wednesday that the Group of Seven countries, which meet this week in Italy, will introduce “coordinated sanctions” against Iran, accusing the country of being behind “so many “malicious” activities in Iran.” region.