ZURICH (Reuters) -Switzerland is considering whether to adopt the strengthened European Union sanctions against Iran following Teheran’s crackdown against demonstrators outraged by the death in police custody of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini.
The Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research (WBF) said it had noted the EU had extended sanctions to a further 11 individuals and four organisations in connections with the death of Amini and the reaction to the demonstrations.
“The department is currently reviewing further steps,” the WBF told Reuters in a statement.
Some European Union foreign ministers on Monday also called for new sanctions against Iran if Tehran’s involvement in Russia’s war on Ukraine is proven, a move that will also be followed closely in Switzerland, the government said.
No time frame was given before Switzerland makes its decision, with the WBF saying it would examine the EU sanctions. A decision could be made by either Economic Affairs Minister Guy Parmelin alone or together with the Swiss cabinet.
Neutral Switzerland has already adopted some U.N. and EU sanctions against Iran imposed over the country’s nuclear activities and human rights violations.
Under existing measures, Switzerland has banned the export of weapons, nuclear goods and surveillance equipment, and also frozen financial assets of some Iranians linked to the government and the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps.
EU foreign ministers on Monday added 11 Iranians and four institutions, including Iran’s morality police chief, to a travel ban and asset freeze list for their role in the crackdown on protests after Amini’s death.
(Reporting by John Revill; Editing by Jon Boyle and Emelia Sithole-Matarise)
