(ANSA) - ROME, APR 24 - Calls for Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps to be put on EU's terror list.
    At the Monday meeting, the possibility of including the IRGC - a branch of the Iranian armed forces - to the EU's list of terror organisations was also a point of discussion.
    The Austrian Federal Minister for European and International Affairs, Alexander Schallenberg, was in favour "if it is possible". Although, he said it is something that "de facto" the EU "already does" because it has individually sanctioned several of its members.
    Designating the branch of the Iranian armed forces as a terrorist organisation is challenging. The IRGC would first have to be prosecuted by a national authority for terrorist activities under EU law to prompt this sanction.
    A recent court ruling in Düsseldorf, Germany, concerning the activities of the IRGC, is being examined by EU officials. This could open the way to designate the IRGC as a terrorist organisation.
    The Belgian Foreign Affairs Minister Hadja Lahbib stated that she supported the extension of sanctions against the Revolutionary Guards.
    Lithuanian minister Gabrielius Landsbergis said he was in favour of restricting the military industry of a country that "is fighting on two fronts". "How many fronts does Iran need to open for us to get serious about sanctioning them?" he asked, noting the Islamist regime's involvement in Ukraine and its attack on Israel.
    In Sweden, the parliament formally decided last year to order the government to push for putting the IRGC on the EU's list of terror organisations.
    Review of further EU sanctions against violent Israeli settlers.
    EU chief diplomat Borrell stated on Monday that the EU will once again address the sanctions against Israeli settlers responsible for violence against Palestinians in the West Bank.
    On Friday, the European Union imposed sanctions on four Israeli settlers and two groups of "extremist" Israeli militants for violence committed against Palestinians in the West Bank and Jerusalem.
    "Attacks against Palestinians are also increasing in the West Bank. We will have to look again at sanctions against violent settlers. Last week we approved a small package of measures," Borrell told the press upon his arrival at the Council of EU Foreign and Defense Ministers.
    While Belgian Foreign Minister Hadja Lahbib supported evaluating more sanctions against Israeli settlers, she considered it insufficient, asking to go further and also sanctioning those arming and defending violent settlers. "The whole system has to be affected," she said.
    Stalled Israel-Palestine ceasefire talks, but "hope not lost".
    Regarding the situation in Gaza, Borrell after the Monday meeting said that "there is no progress on the release of hostages, there is no prospect for a ceasefire, and there is no real easing of the humanitarian catastrophe".
    Borrell said that European Commissioner for Crisis Management, Janez Lenarcic, had provided "some examples of how humanitarian support is being obstructed", even though the EU is calling for "unhindered access".
    "The humanitarian catastrophe for the Palestinian people continues. I want to insist that there will be no lasting stability in the region as long as the war in Gaza continues," Borrell stressed.
    The EU chief diplomat further said that ministers agreed to invite the Israeli foreign minister as well as the new Palestinian Prime Minister to the upcoming Foreign Affairs Council.
    The Qatari Prime Minister, Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdelrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, whose country is an important mediator in trying to reach a ceasefire in the Gaza war, said on Monday at the first ever high-level EU-Gulf Cooperation Council security forum that he has not lost hope of achieving that despite negotiations with Israel and Hamas not yet having produced results.
    (The content is based on news by agencies participating in the enr, in this case AFP, ANSA, dpa, EFE, MIA, STA, TT). (ANSA).