Source: European Parliament
Question for written answer E-001170/2025
to the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy
Rule 144
Hannah Neumann (Verts/ALE), Lena Schilling (Verts/ALE), Thomas Waitz (Verts/ALE)
Research by Der Standard (13 March 2025) reveals that high-ranking representatives of the Iranian regime obtained Schengen visas through the Austrian consulate in Tehran, brokered by Blue River Holding GmbH in Vienna. The company, formerly a licensee of Spar International, was allegedly involved in sanctions evasion, money transfers and technology transfers to Iran.
New evidence points to a link between Iranian business networks and European actors that influence financial flows and visa issuance. A Viennese lawyer is said to have acted as the trusted representative of a regime-related network. Reports suggest that economic channels in Europe are being used to facilitate sanctions evasion, transnational repression and potentially security-threatening activities.
- 1.What specific scrutiny mechanisms has the Commission put in place or evaluated at EU level in the last 12 months to ensure Schengen visas are not being used to facilitate the smuggling-in of Iranian regime actors or economic networks that may be supporting transnational repression?
- 2.Which EU authority or mechanism has specifically examined whether Blue River Holding GmbH and its affiliated actors were involved in violating existing Iran sanctions, and if no such examinations have taken place, why not?
- 3.What specific findings does the Commission have regarding the use of economic and corporate structures within the EU by Iranian actors to finance, conceal or support transnational repression against Iranians in exile?
Submitted: 19.3.2025