The move, which comes after the killing of protesters, brings the European Union in line with the United States and Canada.
The bloody crackdown offers hints about growing tensions inside the country’s ruling system as the cleric’s rule comes under strain.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has built his 37-year rule on uncompromising repression. His answer to the current protests is no different.
“HELP IS ON ITS WAY,” President Trump said on social media. He has threatened to intervene militarily on behalf of the protesters if Iran uses lethal force.
If President Trump follows through, some of Iran’s biggest trading partners, including China and India, could be hit hard.
Demonstrations that began as outrage at the state of the economy have spread to cities across the country, amid an escalating crackdown by the authorities.
Galloping inflation, a currency crisis and anger at the regime have fueled demonstrations across the country.
Amid mounting street protests, businesses, universities and government offices stayed closed Wednesday under government orders, in 21 of 31 provinces, including Tehran.
Thousands of documents and interviews with Assad-era officials reveal how the regime worked to conceal evidence of its atrocities during the Syrian civil war.
High inflation and a currency collapse have squeezed Iranians’ budgets, challenging the country’s leaders.