The United Kingdom joined the United States on Thursday to impose sanctions on the Islamic Republic of Iran, following Tehran’s massive drone and missile attack on Israel last weekend.
Sullivan: US to Impose New Sanctions on Iran
“Leading Iranian military figures have been sanctioned in response to Iran’s dangerous direct attack on Israel,” the UK government said in a statement. In addition, both countries announced a range of sanctions “to tighten the net on key actors within Iran’s unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and missile industries and further limit Iran’s ability to destabilize the region.”
In addition to the more than 400 sanctions already imposed on the Islamic Republic, the UK sanctioned another seven individuals and six entities who enable Iran to conduct “destabilizing regional activity,” including last Sunday’s (April 14) attack.
“The Iranian regime’s attack against Israel was a reckless act and a dangerous escalation,” UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said. “Today we have sanctioned the ringleaders of the Iranian military and forces responsible for the weekend’s attack.
“These sanctions – announced with the US – show we unequivocally condemn this behavior, and they will further limit Iran’s ability to destabilize the region.”
Foreign Secretary David Cameron announced the sanctions while attending the G7 Foreign Ministers’ meeting in Capri, adding, however, “Further escalation is in no one’s interest” — a warning to Israel not to respond with its own measures.
Previous UK sanctions include the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in its entirety, in addition to many of those responsible for the attack on Israel.
The sanctions were imposed in a coordinated package with the United States, which also announced Thursday its own package of sanctions against Tehran.
Wide Raft of US Sanctions on Iran
The US Treasury announced Thursday that its sanctions were targeting Iran’s unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) production in response to last weekend’s attack. The sanctions targeted 16 individuals and two entities that enable Iran’s drone production, including engine types that power the country’s Shahid variant UAVs, which were used in the April 14 barrage.
In addition, sanctions were imposed on five companies in multiple jurisdictions that provide component materials for steel production to Iran’s Khuzestan Steel Company (KSC), one of the country’s largest steel manufacturers, and which purchase KSC’s finished steel products.
Also targeted were three subsidiaries of Iranian automaker Bahman Group, which the Treasury noted had provided material support to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the country’s elite military division that has already been designated by the US as a foreign terrorist organization (FTO).
