Iran Sanctions British Officials, Organizations over Terrorism, Rights Abuse
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs slapped sanctions against a number of British individuals and organizations for their support of terrorism, inciting violence, and violating human rights.
In a statement on Wednesday evening, Iran's Foreign Ministry announced the embargoes as a "tit for tat" move against the sanctions that have been imposed by some European countries on Iran.
The sanctions are imposed on the British entities "due to their intentional actions in supporting terrorism and terrorist groups, promoting and inciting terrorism, violence, and hatred, and violating human rights," reads part of the statement.
The measures by the listed entities have led to "riots, violence, and terrorist acts" against the Iranian nation, the ministry added.
Reminding the British government of its international commitments to confront terrorism, hatred and, rights abuse, the Iranian Foreign Ministry noted that failing to confront the actions of the named entities or facilitating their measures amount to a gross violation of the UK’s commitments in the international arena.
The statement went on to name three entities and nine individuals that have been blacklisted under the Islamic Republic of Iran's sanctions regime.
The named entities include the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) as well as Volant Media, Global Media, and DMA Media and anti-Iranian TV channels that they support namely, BBC Persian and Iran International.
According to the statement, sanctions have been imposed on Minister of State for Security Tom Tugendhat, Royal Navy Commodore Don MacKinnon, Chair of the Labour Friends of Israel in House of Commons Steve McCabe, Chair of Conservative Friends of Israel in House of Commons Stephen Crabb, and honorary chair of Conservative Friends of Israel in House of Lords Stuart Polak.
The sanctions have also targeted Conservative member of the House of Commons Bob Blackman, Member of the House of Commons and former secretary of State for environment Theresa Villiers, British politician Anthea McIntyre, and former Chief of the General Staff General Mark Carleton-Smith.
The sanctions will bar the targeted individuals from obtaining visas and entering Iran and will freeze their assets and bank accounts inside Iran.
The Iranian Foreign Ministry also noted that it holds the UK government to account for supporting terrorists and human rights violators who are "organizing and inciting riots and terrorist acts" in Iran from UK soil.
Earlier in the day, Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian had informed that new sanctions will be imposed on some European individuals and entities for violating human rights and abetting recent deadly riots in Iran.
The ministry's decision came just days after EU foreign ministers decided on Monday to levy sanctions against 11 Iranian individuals and four entities over the country's response to the foreign-backed riots that followed the death of a young Iranian woman in police custody.
Meanwhile, reports suggest that EU countries are going to slap new sanctions on Iran for the alleged delivery of military drones to Russia.