Seán Haughey (Dublin Bay North, Fianna Fail)
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105. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will proscribe an organisation (details supplied) in Iran; if European Union foreign ministers have examined the case for proscribing this organisation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3452/23]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Sanctions are an important foreign policy tool, used to deter States from pursuing actions which threaten international stability, or from harming citizens in their own country. Since 2011, the EU has applied sanctions against individuals and entities responsible for human rights violations in Iran. Ireland works with our EU partners to ensure that all sanctions are targeted, where relevant, contain clear exemptions for humanitarian actors.

At the 17 October 2022 meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council, Member States agreed to expand the Iran human rights sanctions regime to target eleven individuals and four entities in response to their involvement in the death of Mahsa Amini, and the government’s violent response to demonstrations. On 20 October 2022, additional sanctions against Iranian individuals and an entity involved in the development of drones and their delivery to Russia were adopted. On 14 November 2022, a further 29 individuals and three entities were sanctioned in relation to the protests. On 12 December 2022, 20 individuals and one entity were sanctioned under the Human Rights sanctions regime, as well as four individuals and four entities under the Ukraine Territorial Integrity sanctions regime. Additional EU sanctions were agreed on 23 January 2023 in response to the ongoing unjustified actions of the Iranian government.

Further restrictive measures will be considered as the situation continues to develop.

Officials from my Department will continue to monitor developments in Iran, and to raise our concerns directly with the Iranian government. We will continue to coordinate closely with our partners in the EU to ensure there is a joint, coordinated, and clear response to the actions of the Iranian authorities.