- New UK sanctions target organisations and individuals who threaten international and UK security.
- Action demonstrates UK commitment to countering Iranian threats to UK national security, regional stability, and the global economy.
- Sanctions will deter attacks against dissidents overseas and disrupt illicit revenue generation for the Iranian regime.
Organisations and individuals enabling hostile Iranian activity are amongst those being targeted under new sanctions announced by the Foreign Secretary, Yvette Cooper, today (11 May). The measures come in response to Iranian action against global security and its use of criminal gangs to carry out threats overseas.
The measures target illicit finance flows which enable the Iranian regime to pursue destabilising action across the Middle East, including their blockade of the Strait of Hormuz – contravening international law and disrupting the global economy – and military strikes against regional and Gulf allies.
Today’s sanctions also target criminal proxies who act on behalf of the Iranian state to threaten the US and Europe by preventing criminal gangs from travelling to the UK or accessing assets which finance their illegal activity.
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said
This package of sanctions directly targets organisations and individuals who threaten security on UK streets and stability in the Middle East. Criminal proxies backed by parts of the Iranian regime who threaten security in the UK and Europe will not be tolerated, nor will illicit finance networks. We are coordinating these actions across Europe.
We continue to press for a negotiated settlement and a long-term diplomatic solution in the Middle East, which urgently restores freedom of navigation to the Strait of Hormuz.
The package of sanctions is aligned with action taken by the EU and builds on recent action by the UK government to hold the Iranian regime accountable for hostile activity, including threats to national security.
More broadly, the Prime Minister has made clear that we need stronger powers to tackle threats posed by states like Iran, which is why we will fast-track Home Office state-threats legislation. On 28 April, the Minister for the Middle East summoned the Iranian Ambassador for the third time this year. The government has censured the Iranian embassy’s 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 tolerated.
The UK also sanctioned 10 individuals and one organisation in February for their brutal response to Iranian protestors in January and in previous protests.
The UK already has imposed more than 550 sanctions on Iranian individuals and organisations, including the entirety of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps i and over 90 sanctions in response to Human Rights violations.
These sanctions form part of a UK day of action against destabilising activity by Iran and Russia. Earlier today, the UK announced sanctions against Russia’s hostile and heinous attempts to undermine democracy and destroy Ukraine’s future.
Background
The following entities are today sanctioned by the UK government and are subject to an asset freeze and director disqualification
- Berelian Exchange
- GCM Exchange
- The Zindashti Network
The following individuals are today sanctioned by the UK government and are subject to a travel ban, asset freeze and director disqualification
- Mansour Zarringhalam
- Nasser Zarringhalam
- Ekrem Abdulkerym Oztunc
- Nihat Abdul Kadir Asan
- Reza Hamidiravari
- Namiq Salifov
The following individuals are also today sanctioned by the UK government and are subject to an asset freeze and director disqualification
- Fazlolah Zarringhalam
- Pouria Zarringhalam
- Farhad Zarringhalam
Information in this Press Release was accurate at the time of publication. Please see the UK Sanctions List for the current list of those subject to sanctions https//www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-uk-sanctions-list
Definitions
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Asset freeze an asset freeze prevents any UK citizen, or any business in the UK, from dealing with any funds or economic resources which are owned, held 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.
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Director disqualification 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.
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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.