“We have a duty to extend these sanctions,” Macron said ahead of a summit in Brussels where EU leaders are set to approve the bloc’s initiative to tighten sanctions on Iran.
Over the weekend, Tehran launched an unprecedented drone and missile attack on Israel, which it admitted did little damage as most of the drones and missiles were intercepted.
Tehran’s first direct attack on Israeli territory was in response to an April 1 airstrike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus blamed on Israel that killed 16 people, including two generals from Iran.
EU foreign ministers agreed on Tuesday that the bloc should begin work on strengthening sanctions it has already imposed on Iran over the supply of drones to Russia, which are being used in its war against the -Ukraine.
A draft statement from the EU summit on Wednesday said leaders were “ready to take further restrictive measures against Iran, especially on drones and missiles”.
As the West tries to prevent the conflict from escalating, the statement also called on “all parties to exercise maximum restraint and refrain from any activities that may increase tension. “
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced that his country will decide how to respond to Iran’s attack, while world leaders have already called for a ban on escalation.
