Resolution on Iran’s unprecedented attack against Israel, the need for de-escalation and an EU response
The European Parliament adopted by 357 votes to 20, with 58 abstentions, a resolution on Iran’s unprecedented attack against Israel, the need for de-escalation and an EU response.
The text adopted in plenary was tabled by the EPP, S&D, Renew, Greens/EFA and the ECR groups.
Context
On 13 April 2024, Iran attacked Israeli territory for the first time, firing over 300 drones and missiles. Most were intercepted by Israel, the US, the UK and France, who also provided aerial reconnaissance and defence from Jordanian soil. Five missiles still impacted Israeli territory, hitting the Nevatim Israeli Air Force Base and seriously injuring a seven-year-old girl from Israel’s Arab Bedouin community.
On 1 April 2024, Iran’s consulate in Damascus, Syria was bombed in an air strike widely attributed to Israel that killed seven officers, including two senior Iranian generals from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), and injured 13 others.
The EU, the UK, the US and others have unanimously condemned the attacks and called on both sides to de-escalate.
Parliament condemned, in the strongest possible terms, the unprecedented drone and missile attack carried out by Iran on Israel on the night of 13 to 14 April 2024, as well as the serious escalation and threat to regional security that this represents. It reiterated its full support for the security of the State of Israel and its citizens. It conveys its sympathy to the family of the victim from Israel’s Arab Bedouin community, a seven-year-old girl who was seriously injured by shrapnel. Furthermore, it condemned the simultaneous attacks perpetrated by Iran’s proxies, namely Hezbollah in the Golan Heights and the Houthi movement off the coast of Yemen.
Sanctions
The EU’s decision to expand and broaden the current sanctions regime established in July 2023 was welcomed, including by sanctioning Iran’s supply and production of unmanned drones and missiles to Russia and the wider Middle Eastern region. Parliament demanded that these sanctions be urgently put in place.
The Council is called on to prepare additional sanctions in the banking, oil and aviation sectors to be imposed in the event that the Iranian regime unacceptably escalates the situation further, and to communicate these preparatory measures in advance to the Iranian authorities. Parliament also reiterated its long-standing call for Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to be added to the EU list of terrorist organisations.
Nuclear commitments
With Iran persistently failing to comply with its legal safeguard obligations under its nuclear deal - formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) – Members urged the Iranian authorities to immediately abide by these requirements and address all related outstanding issues.
The US is incredibly concerned about the military cooperation between Iran and North Korea, in particular on nuclear and ballistic missiles. There are also legitimate concerns regarding Iran’s military cooperation with Russia and Pakistan, and its enhanced cooperation with China on military technology.