European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Tuesday that the European Union (EU) will "swiftly" propose further sanctions on those responsible for the repression of demonstrations in Iran.
"The rising number of casualties in Iran is horrifying. I unequivocally condemn the excessive use of force and continued restriction of freedom, " von der Leyen said on social media, as quoted by Reuters.
"Further sanctions on those responsible for the repression will be swiftly proposed," she added.
The announcement came hours after an Iranian official told Reuters that about 2,000 people, including members of the security forces, were killed during roughly two weeks of protests across Iran.
The official said those responsible were “terrorists" and stated that both protesters and security personnel were among the dead, without providing a detailed breakdown of the casualties.
Earlier on Tuesday, British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper told Parliament that the British government will impose “full and further sanctions" on Iran over its crackdown on protesters.
On Monday, the European Parliament announced it will bar Iranian diplomats from entering any of its facilities in response to the Tehran regime’s violent crackdown on protesters demanding an end to decades of religious rule.
European Parliament President Roberta Metsola announced the decision in a letter to MEPs. The ban applies to all Parliament buildings in Brussels and Strasbourg, where plenary debates are held, as well as its secretariat in Luxembourg.
Under the new policy, anyone holding an Iranian passport will be checked at the entrance, and those identified as working for the regime will be denied access immediately. “The people of Iran can continue to rely on this Parliament for support, solidarity, and action," Metsola wrote in her letter, seen by Politico.