EU Sanctions Iran Over Strait of Hormuz Disputes Amid Israel-Iran Escalation
Measures target IRGC naval entity and officials accused of restricting maritime navigation as Israel and Iran, once again, exchange blows, and negotiations with the US stall
Photo: CENTCOM via X
The European Union has imposed new restrictive measures on two individuals and one entity linked to Iran’s actions in the Strait of Hormuz, as regional tensions escalate following the latest Israel–Iran confrontation and the stalling peace negotiations with the US.
The Council announced sanctions targeting the Hormozgan Provincial Command of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy (IRGCN), alongside Mohammad Akbarzadeh and Hamid Hosseini, over activities the EU says undermine freedom of navigation and violate international maritime law.
According to the Council, the IRGC Navy has asserted control over transit in the Strait of Hormuz by requiring vessels to submit identifying documentation, cargo details and destination information. This data is then used to screen ships and determine passage, in some cases linked to payment of fees. The EU also accused the force of harassing and threatening commercial vessels operating in the region.
Akbarzadeh, Deputy Commander for Political Affairs and spokesperson for the IRGC Navy, was sanctioned for supporting policies that the EU says restrict maritime transit in the Strait of Hormuz and for threatening the use of missiles and drones against commercial vessels crossing the waterway.
Hosseini, a representative of Iran’s oil and petrochemical exporters’ sector and a member of the country’s Chamber of Commerce, was listed for promoting arrangements requiring shipping operators to submit to Iranian-controlled assessment and pay transit fees in exchange for passage through the strait.
EU foreign policy officials said the measures fall under an expanded sanctions framework aimed at protecting maritime security and freedom of navigation in the Middle East, including implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 2817 (2026).
The sanctions include an asset freeze, a travel ban to the EU for listed individuals, and a prohibition on providing funds or economic resources to the designated entity.
The decision comes amid heightened regional instability following the latest escalation between Israel and Iran, which has increased concerns in European capitals over the security of critical shipping lanes and energy routes passing through the Strait of Hormuz.