The EU will "take further restrictive measures against Iran, in particular regarding drones and missiles", according to the summit declaration, which was communicated on Thursday night. The summit called on all parties to exercise "extreme restraint". Federal Chancellor Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) said that Tehran must be clearly signaled "that this level of escalation leads to a dead end". "Iran is not only a threat to Israel, but also to the stability of the region," said EU Council President Charles Michel. The motto is therefore: "We must isolate Iran."

Targeting drone and missile manufacturers
The formal adoption of the new punitive measures will probably take place at an EU Foreign Affairs Council on Monday. French President Emmanuel Macron tried to set the tone even before the start of the summit by making a concrete proposal for sanctions. According to this, Iranian manufacturers of drones and missiles should be subject to punitive measures. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz was less specific: "We have already taken many steps to sanction Iran," he explained before the start of the summit.

On the question of whether the Iranian Revolutionary Guards should also be classified as a terrorist organization, Scholz said: "There are already sanctions lists for these forces. The question now is whether we can take a further step."

"The European Council strongly condemns the Iranian attack on Israel and reaffirms its full solidarity with the Israeli people and its commitment to Israel's security and to regional stability," the latest draft of the conclusions reads. Iran and its allies, such as Hezbollah in Lebanon or the Houthis in Yemen, are called upon to "cease all attacks, exercise extreme restraint and refrain from anything that could increase tensions in the region".

Call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza
The EU heads of state and government also addressed the situation in the Gaza Strip: The EU summit confirmed it would continue to work with its partners for an "end to the crisis in Gaza", including an immediate ceasefire, the unconditional release of all hostages and the swift and unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid to the suffering Palestinian civilian population.

"The European Union remains committed to a lasting and sustainable peace based on the two-state solution," it continued.