TEHRAN, April 23, 2024 (BSS/AFP) - Iran described as "regrettable" Tuesday a decision by the European Union to expand the bloc's sanctions against its weapons programmes in response to its unprecedented retaliatory attack on Israel. 

"It is regrettable to see the EU deciding quickly to apply more unlawful restrictions against Iran just because Iran exercised its right to self-defence in the face of Israel's reckless aggression," Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said in a post on X.

"The EU should not follow Washington's advice to satisfy the criminal Israeli regime."

On Monday, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said the bloc had agreed in principle to expand its existing sanctions against Iran's drone programme to cover missiles and their potential transfer to Iran's Middle East allies or to Russia.

Borrell's remarks came nearly 10 days after Iran launched its first-ever direct drone and missile attack on Israeli territory. 

The barrage was in response to a deadly April 1 air strike, widely blamed on Israel, that levelled Iran's consulate in Damascus and killed seven Revolutionary Guards, two of them generals. 

The Israeli army said the vast majority of the more than 300 missiles and drones fired by Iran -- were intercepted with the help of the United States and other allies -- and that the attack caused only minimal damage.