EU to consider 'restrictive measures' against Iran over death of Mahsa Amini

By Burak Bir

ANKARA (AA) - The European Union’s foreign policy chief said Tuesday that the bloc will consider all options including "restrictive measures" against Iran for its crackdown on protests following the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in police custody.

Speaking during a debate in the plenary of the European Parliament on Amini’s death and the ongoing demonstrations in Iran, Josep Borrell expressed his condolences to her family and hailed those who took part in the demonstrations.

“We have seen them chanting ‘Women, Life, Freedom’ -- three key words. These Iranian women have been the force driving the dissent. They ask for respect, justice and equality – nothing more, nothing less,” he noted.

Recalling that together with European Council President Charles Michel, he raised the issue directly with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, Borrell stressed that the EU called “immediately” for the Iranian authorities to ensure the respect of fundamental rights of Iranian citizens.

"Unfortunately, it did not happen," he said, adding many people lost their lives in the protests and many more have been injured and detained.

“Together with the Member States, we will continue to consider all the options at our disposal, including restrictive measures, to address the killing of Mahsa Amini and the way Iranian security forces have been responding to the demonstrations,” added Borrell.

The number of those who have died in the weeks-long protests in Iran over Amini’s death on Sept. 16 has surged to 92, a Norway-based human rights group said Sunday.

The US also announced sanctions against Iran’s morality police, who detained Amini before she fainted and was later pronounced dead at a hospital, for alleged violence against women.

Amini’s family has accused the police of beating her, causing her to suffer a stroke. An Iranian government investigation into the incident is yet to conclude.

- 'Energy deal does not work to detriment of human rights'

Separately, at the European Parliament's plenary session on the latest flareup between Azerbaijan and Armenia, Borrell said that an energy deal between Azerbaijan and the EU does not work to the "detriment of human rights.”

In response to criticism over the gas deal, Borrell defended it, as Azerbaijan will double gas exports to the European Union by 2027.

In July, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev signed a deal on roughly doubling Azerbaijan’s gas exports to the EU as part of the bloc’s efforts to reduce its dependency on Russian energy.

According to the plan, Azerbaijan will deliver 12 billion cubic meters of gas next year and 20 billion cubic meters by 2027 to the EU through the Trans Adriatic Pipeline.

Borrell went on to say that the EU has done everything it can to call on Armenia and Azerbaijan to engage in dialogue.

"We are asking Türkiye to try to use its influence to reduce tensions between the two countries," he said, blaming Azerbaijan after it "bombarded and occupied Armenian territories.”

Borrell, however, did not mention the Armenian attacks on Azerbaijani territories and settlements.

More than 200 Armenian soldiers and 80 Azerbaijani personnel were killed in a flareup last month which ended with a truce widely welcomed by the international community.

The clashes were the latest between the two former Soviet republics, who have had tense relations since 1991, when the Armenian military occupied Nagorno-Karabakh, also known as Upper Karabakh -- a territory internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan.

A 2020 conflict saw Azerbaijan liberate several cities and more than 300 settlements and villages from Armenian occupation. That bout of fighting ended with a deal brokered by Russia.