EU criticizes Iran’s response to protests

BRUSSELS The European Union has condemned Iran’s response to widespread unrest across the country, sparked by the death of a woman after police arrested her for not covering herself according to the country’s strict Islamic laws.

“For the European Union and its member states, the widespread and disproportionate use of force against non-violent protesters is unjustifiable and unacceptable,” EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said on Sunday on behalf of the bloc.

Protests erupted in Iran after Mahsa Amini, 22, fell into a coma and died at a hospital, days after she was arrested on Sept.13.

The EU also made a vague threat of sanctions against Iran.

Before the next meeting of foreign ministers, the EU would “consider all the options at its disposal” in response to “the killing of Mahsa Amini and the way Iranian security forces have responded to the ensuing demonstrations.”

According to eyewitnesses in Tehran, both security forces and protesters are turning more and more violent, and a total of 41people have now been killed, Iranian national broadcaster IRIB has reported. There was no official confirmation.

The EU called on Iran to clarify the number of deaths and arrests, release all non-violent protesters and investigate Amini’s death.

Tehran had earlier summoned the ambassadors of Norway and Great Britain, both non-EU countries, in connection with the protests in Iran.

The Norwegian ambassador visited the Iranian Foreign Ministry Saturday for a conversation about Twitter messages from the Norwegian parliament speaker Masud Gharahkhani, officials in Oslo said Sunday. The ambassador had reiterated the Norwegian government’s position on Amini’s death, the Norwegian Foreign Ministry said.

Gharahkhani, a politician with Iranian roots, has repeatedly drawn attention to the protests in Iran on Twitter and criticized the Iranian leadership.

Tehran, meanwhile, summoned the British ambassador over Farsi-language television stations in London, news website Asr Iran reported.

Tehran accused the broadcasters of causing provocation and more unrest with their coverage of the protests and put part of the blame with the British government for granting the broadcasters licences.