The UK Government Announces New Sanctions Regime Against Iran

 The UK government has announced a new sanctions regime against Iran in response to the country's alleged malign behaviour. The regime will give the UK greater powers to target decision-makers, including those involved in human rights abuses, weapons proliferation, and threats against British nationals.

British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said in a statement: "The Iranian regime is oppressing its own people, exporting bloodshed in Ukraine and the Middle East, and threatening to kill and kidnap on UK soil. Today the UK has sent a clear message to the regime – we will not tolerate this malign behaviour and we will hold you to account.

Our new sanctions regime will help to ensure there can be no hiding place for those who seek to do us harm." The existing punitive measures focus on human rights, but the proposals outlined by the government would widen the scope of criteria that could be used to bring new designations in the future.

The new regime will include individuals and entities who contribute to the undermining of peace and stability in the Middle East and elsewhere, as well as those involved in Iran's undermining of democracy and the rule of law in the UK, and hostile activities aimed at British people or property, or Britain’s allies.

Britain has also given evidence at the United Nations Security Council that Iran is continuing to send weapons to the Houthi rebels in Yemen, and to Russia in support of its fighting in Ukraine. Cleverly said: "What we have seen over the last 18 months is an unprecedented level of aggression from Iran against people here in the UK, trying to silence dissenting voices."

The new sanctions regime will be legislated for later in the year. In response, the Iranian Foreign Ministry summoned the charge d’affaires of the British embassy in Tehran over the “destructive British statements and interference in our affairs”.

The UK government says that since the start of last year, Iran has made at least 15 attempts to kidnap or even kill UK nationals or individuals based in the UK. The new sanctions regime is a clear warning that this kind of aggression will not be tolerated.