UK sanctions Iranian targets in response to national security threats
Foreign Secretary announces sanctions against organisations and individuals enabling hostile Iranian activity
- New UK sanctions target organisations and individuals听who听threaten听international and UK security.听
- Action听demonstrates听UK听commitment to听countering听Iranian听threats to听UK national security, regional听stability,听and听the global economy.听
- Sanctions will听deter听attacks against dissidents overseas and听disrupt illicit听revenue generation for the听Iranian听regime.
Organisations and individuals enabling听hostile听Iranian听activity听are听amongst those听being targeted under new sanctions announced by the听Foreign Secretary, Yvette Cooper,听today (11 May). The measures come听in response to Iranian听action against听global听security听and its use of criminal gangs to carry out threats听overseas.听
The听measures听target听illicit finance flows which enable the Iranian regime to pursue听destabilising action听across the Middle East,听including their blockade of the Strait of Hormuz 鈥� contravening international law and disrupting the global economy 鈥� and military strikes against听regional and Gulf听allies.听
Today鈥檚听sanctions听also听target听criminal proxies who act on behalf of the Iranian state to threaten the听US and听Europe听by听preventing听criminal gangs听from travelling to the UK or accessing assets which听finance听their illegal activity.听
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper听said:听
This package of sanctions directly targets听organisations and individuals听who threaten security on UK streets听and stability in the Middle East.听Criminal proxies backed by parts of the Iranian regime who听threaten security in the UK and Europe will not be tolerated, nor will illicit听finance networks. We are coordinating听these actions across Europe.听
We continue to听press for听a negotiated settlement听and听a long-term diplomatic solution in the Middle East, which urgently restores freedom of navigation to the Strait of Hormuz.
The听package听of sanctions听is aligned with action taken by听the EU听and听builds on听recent听action听by听the UK government to hold the Iranian regime accountable for听hostile听activity, including threats to听national security.听
More听broadly, the Prime Minister has made clear that we need stronger powers to tackle threats听posed by states like Iran, which is why听we will fast-track听Home Office state-threats听legislation.听On 28 April, the Minister for the Middle East听summoned鈥痶he Iranian Ambassador鈥痜or the third time this year.听The government has censured鈥痶he鈥疘ranian embassy鈥檚 unacceptable and inflammatory comments on social media and made clear that any attempts to cause violence or inflame tensions in our communities will not be听tolerated.听
The UK also听sanctioned 10 individuals and one organisation in February听for their brutal听response to听Iranian protestors听in January and in听previous听protests.听
The UK already has imposed more than 550 sanctions on Iranian individuals and organisations, including the entirety of the听Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps and over 90 sanctions in听response to听Human Rights violations.听
These sanctions form part of听a听UK听day of action against听destabilising听activity by Iran and Russia.听Earlier today,听the UK announced sanctions听against Russia鈥檚听hostile and heinous听attempts听to undermine democracy and destroy Ukraine鈥檚 future.听
Background:
The following听entities听are听today sanctioned by the UK government and听are听subject to an asset freeze and director disqualification:听
- 叠别谤别濒颈补苍听贰虫肠丑补苍驳别听
- 骋颁惭听贰虫肠丑补苍驳别听
- 罢丑别鈥痁颈苍诲补蝉丑迟颈鈥疦别迟飞辞谤办听
The following individuals are today sanctioned by the UK government and are subject to a travel ban, asset听freeze听and director disqualification:听
- 惭补苍蝉辞耻谤听窜补谤谤颈苍驳丑补濒补尘听
- 狈补蝉蝉别谤听窜补谤谤颈苍驳丑补濒补尘听
- 贰办谤别尘鈥疉产诲耻濒办别谤测尘鈥疧锄迟耻苍肠听
- 狈颈丑补迟鈥疉产诲耻濒鈥疜补诲颈谤鈥疉蝉补苍听
- 搁别锄补鈥疕补尘颈诲颈谤补惫补谤颈听
- 狈补尘颈辩鈥疭补濒颈蹿辞惫鈥�
The following individuals are also today sanctioned by the UK government and are subject to an asset freeze and director disqualification:听
- 贵补锄濒辞濒补丑听窜补谤谤颈苍驳丑补濒补尘听
- 笔辞耻谤颈补听窜补谤谤颈苍驳丑补濒补尘听
- 贵补谤丑补诲听窜补谤谤颈苍驳丑补濒补尘听
Information in this Press Release was听accurate听at the time of publication. Please see the UK Sanctions List for the current list of those subject to sanctions听/government/publications/the-uk-sanctions-list听
Definitions:鈥��
-
Asset freeze:听an asset freeze prevents any UK citizen, or any business in the UK, from dealing with any funds or economic resources which are owned,听held听or controlled by the designated person. It also prevents funds or economic resources being provided to or for the benefit of the designated person. UK financial sanctions apply to all persons within the territory and territorial sea of the UK and to all UK persons, wherever they are in the world.听
-
Director disqualification:听Where director disqualification sanctions apply, it is an offence for a person designated for the purpose of those sanctions to act as a director of a UK company, or a foreign company that is sufficiently-connected to the UK, or to take part in the management, formation or promotion of a company.听
-
Travel ban: a travel ban means that the designated person must be refused leave to enter or to remain in the United Kingdom, as the individual is an excluded person under section 8B of the Immigration Act 1971.
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