'State Sponsored Hostage-Taking...'; Furious EU Slaps Iran With Sanctions; France To Complain In ICJ

European Union foreign ministers adopted sanctions against seven Iranian individuals and two organizations over the detention of EU citizens, which the bloc calls a policy of state-sponsored hostage-taking. A list of those sanctioned, included the Director of Tehran's Evin prison and several judges and other judicial officials. The Central prison of Shiraz was among the organizations sanctioned. EU sanctions consist of a freeze on any assets held in the European Union and a ban on any travel into the bloc.