UK to sanction Iran for sending military aid to Russia

The UK Foreign Secretary has announced plans for additional sanctions to hold Iran accountable for its "hostile and destabilising behaviour around the world", including for sending weapons to Russia for use in Ukraine.

Source: official statement released by the UK government

Details: The UK government wrote that Iran has stepped up its campaign to persecute its opponents abroad, including in the UK, where more than 15 credible threats to kill or kidnap British or UK-based individuals by the Iranian regime have been recorded since the start of 2022.

"The Iranian intelligence services have developed close relationships with organised criminal gangs in UK and across Europe to expand the capability of its networks. The UK will not tolerate such threats," the statement continued.

A new sanctions regime that will give the UK greater powers to target "the use and spread of weapons or weapons technologies from Iran".

The latter reference applies to Russia, which has received hundreds of attack drones and other weapons from Iran for use in Ukraine, and is planning to build a joint drone manufacturing plant in Tatarstan, Russia.

Under the new sanctions regime, the UK will also be able to target individuals and entities that undermine democracy and violate human rights, as well as "other hostile activities towards the UK and our partners emanating from the Iranian regime".

Background:

• In early June, James Cleverly, the UK Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, accused Iran of supplying Russia with ammunition used to wage war against Ukraine.
• Days before Cleverly’s statement, the British media gained access to an alleged arms contract that could be the first hard evidence that Iran has sold munitions to Russia for its war in Ukraine.

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