The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran has summoned the Portuguese Ambassador to Tehran to protest at the European Union’s move to blacklist a number of Iranian officials and bodies over human rights concerns.
“Following the European Union’s impudent move to put the names of several Iranian officials and institutions on its list of human rights sanctions, Portuguese Ambassador to Tehran Carlos Costa Neves, whose country holds the EU’s rotating presidency, was summoned to the Iranian foreign ministry and received a strong note of protest from Tehran over the EU’s illegal action,” a statement by the Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday night.
“Accordingly, the director general for the West Europe affairs at the Iranian foreign ministry condemned the EU’s move as politically motivated, dismissing it as a double-standard approach on human rights issues,” it added.
“As we have already announced, Iran will, in reaction, suspend comprehensive talks with the EU and cooperation thereof, including in the domains of [fighting] terrorism, narcotics and refugees,” he said at the meeting.
It was also stressed that Iran is considering imposing reciprocal sanctions as well. The top Portuguese diplomat, in turn, said he will inform Brussels of Iran’s protest.
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