BRUSSELS, April 18. /TASS/. The heads of European Union states and governments, who gathered for an informal summit in Brussels, called upon all parties to the Middle Eastern conflict to show maximum restraint and pledged to impose new sanctions against Iran.
"The European Council calls on Iran and its proxies to cease all attacks and urges all parties to exercise the utmost restraint and to refrain from any action that may increase tensions in the region," the leaders said in a joint statement.
The document underscores that the European Unions strongly condemns Iran’s attack on Israel and expresses full solidarity with the people of Israel. It also reiterated its commitment to Israel’s security and overall stability in the region.
Moreover, the European Union is poised to impose new sanctions on Iran, related to drones and missiles.
"The European Union will take further restrictive measures against Iran, notably in relation to unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and missiles," the document says.
European Council President Charles Michel told reporters that new restrictions will be imposed on Iranian companies related to drone and missile production. He did not specify when exactly the sanctions may be imposed.
On the evening of April 13, Iran launched drones and missiles towards Israel in response to what it called "repeated crimes," including an attack on the consular office of the Iranian Embassy in Damascus. Tehran said that that attack targeted Israel’s military facilities. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) claimed it intercepted 99% of the nearly 350 Iranian projectiles launched at Israel, saying that minor damage had been caused to Nevatim Air Base.