European Union Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Tuesday voiced strong condemnation of Iran’s handling of the ongoing unrest, calling the rising number of casualties “horrifying” and denouncing the “excessive use of force” against protesters.
In her latest post on X, von der Leyen said the European Union stands with the people of Iran and announced that further sanctions would be proposed against those responsible for the repression, in coordination with the EU’s foreign policy chief.
Her remarks come amid intensifying political unrest across Iran, sparked by worsening economic conditions including high inflation, unemployment and shortages. Iranian authorities have now acknowledged for the first time that around 2,000 people, including protesters and security personnel, have been killed during two weeks of unrest.
The crisis has further escalated after US President Donald Trump announced fresh tariffs on countries doing business with Iran, adding to Tehran’s mounting international pressure.
