EU to sanction Iran for retaliatory attack on Israel

The European Union said it would impose new sanctions on Iran following its retaliatory attack against Israel on Saturday night.

The missile and drone attack followed Israel's bombing of Iran's embassy in Syria's capital, killing 8 people including elite army officers.

There were no casualties in Iran's attack. 

European Council President Charles Michel said overnight on Thursday the measures would serve as a "clear signal" to Iran.

In a statement released after the first day of their summit in Brussels, which also focused on the war in Ukraine and ways to boost the bloc’s economic competitiveness, the leaders warned that the EU "will take further restrictive measures against Iran, notably in relation to unmanned aerial vehicles and missiles.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy used the summit to remind the leaders that his country still badly needs support to combat Russia's invasion.

Zelenskyy asked for more air defences, including Patriot missile systems.

His message was heard.

Michel said it is "very important that we deliver on our promises, and I can reassure you that all the stakeholders, all the actors, they are doing everything possible to speed up, to make more efforts."

Michel, who chaired the summit, said that Zelenskyy had asked the Europeans to help convince the U.S. to speed up the delivery of arms and funding for Ukraine's war-battered economy.