UK toughens up sanctions against Iran regime

UK on Thursday (July 6) announced plans for tougher sanctions against Iran for its alleged human rights violation as well as hostile actions against its opponents on UK soil.

The new sanctions regime will expand existing sanctions by creating new criteria under which individuals and entities can be hit.

They include any Iranian activities "undermining peace, stability and security in the Middle East and internationally", and the "use and spread of weapons technologies from Iran".

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Russia has attracted allegations of using Iranian-made attack drones in Ukraine. Iran also is a strategic ally of Syrian regime. The Islamic Republic also backs Lebanon's Hezbollah.

Oppressive regime

"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," said Foreign Secretary James Cleverly.

"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 UK accuses that Iran has stepped up efforts to kill or kidnap perceived enemies of its regime, inside the UK as well.

The UK says that Iran's intelligence services have established close ties with organised criminal gangas in Britain and across Europe in order to help target opponents.

Since the start of 2022, the UK has uncovered "more than 15 credible threats to kill or kidnap British or UK-based individuals by the Iranian regime", it added.

The latest measure are in addition to the ones already taken over Tehran's hardline response to protests that erupted after the death of Mahsa Amini.

Mahsa Amini was a 22-year-old woman who was detained by Iran's morality police for her 'inappropriate' attire. Her custodial death had sparked nationwide protests last year. The regime's response was to crack down against the protests.

(With inputs from agencies)

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