EU to widen Iran sanctions over Hormuz

The European Union is preparing to expand the criteria of its sanctions regime against Iran to specifically include individuals and entities responsible for blocking the Strait of Hormuz. Two EU diplomats confirmed the move, which comes as the strategic waterway has been largely shut for nearly two months, severely disrupting global energy and commodities markets. This represents a significant escalation of the EU's economic pressure on Iran, aligning its measures more closely with the ongoing crisis over maritime access. The new sanctions framework aims to directly penalize those orchestrating the closure that has upended international trade.