The United Kingdom and the United States announced today (Monday) new sanctions designed to prevent the Iranian regime's threats of harming people on British territory, as part of the Iranian regime's efforts to suppress, harass and harm journalists and human rights defenders outside of Iran.
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The sanctions will be imposed on seven people and one organization including, among others, Iranian officials and members of criminal organizations that collaborate with the Iranian regime, with the aim of exposing and disrupting those activities in the UK and overseas.
"They are trying to disrupt democratic freedoms"
The Iranian entities on which the sanctions are imposed are members of Unit 840 of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which was revealed in an investigation by the ITV network, which published that they were planning to assassinate two television presenters from the British News Agency in the Persian language operating on British soil.
Iranian protesters burn the US flag, photo: AP
The report of this plot is the most recent reliable report of the regime's attempts to threaten or kill British citizens or citizens connected to the United Kingdom.
From January 2022, at least 15 such threats were detected.
The Iranian regime threatens through criminal organizations all over the world.
As a result, the United Kingdom and the United States imposed sanctions on the leaders of criminal organizations that work with Iran, such as the head of an international criminal organization and a human trafficking cartel, which is linked to the murder of an Iranian regime opponent in Istanbul in 2019.
British Foreign Minister David Cameron: The announcement sends a clear message to the Iranian regime - you will have to bear the consequences of your actions". Photo: GettyImages
The British Foreign Minister, David Cameron, said: "The Iranian regime and the criminal organizations that operate on its behalf constitute an unacceptable threat to the security of Britain."
Cameron emphasized that "the new sanctions package announced today exposes the role of senior Iranian officials and criminal organizations involved in activities designed to undermine, silence and disrupt the democratic freedoms we cherish in Britain. Britain and the US are sending a clear message - we will not accept such a threat."
fighting back
The Foreign Minister summoned the head of Iran's diplomatic delegation to Britain on December 22, to make it clear that threats from the Iranian regime will not be accepted.
To date, the UK has imposed more than 400 targeted sanctions on Iranian individuals and entities in response to the regime's human rights abuses, nuclear weapons program and international influence.
Home Secretary, James Calverley.
"The Iranian regime tried to undermine democracy through repression,"
The sanctions imposed today are part of the UK's new sanctions on Iran, which came into force in December 2023, which give the UK extensive powers to stop the financial activities of Iran and those who carry out the hostile actions.
The Minister of the Interior, James Calverly, said: "The Iranian regime tried to undermine democracy through repression. We will continue to act as required in order to protect the country, its values and freedom of expression."
Calverly also said: "We will not allow foreign regimes that collaborate with criminals to threaten us. Sanctioning these criminal organizations that work for the Iranian regime reminds them that we are fighting back. My priority is the protection of our people and the protection of the way we live. Britain will not accept Threats from the Iranian regime."
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