UK and US sanction leading Iranian military figures and entities following the attack on Israel
The UK sanctioned a further 7 individuals and 6 entities that enabled Iran's destabilising activity in the Middle East, including its direct attack on Israel.
Today (Thursday 18 April) the UK has sanctioned a further 7 individuals and 6 entities who have enabled Iran to conduct destabilising regional activity, including its direct attack on Israel.
This adds to the 400 plus sanctions already imposed on Iran. Previous sanctions include the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in its entirety and many of those responsible for the attack on Israel.
In a coordinated package with the US, leading Iranian military figures have been sanctioned in response to Iran’s dangerous direct attack on Israel on 14 April. The UK and US have also 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 destabilise the region.
The Foreign Secretary announced these sanctions during his attendance at the G7 Foreign Ministers meeting in Capri, where the UK and our allies reaffirmed support for Israel’s security and the security of all our regional partners.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said:
The Iranian regime’s attack against Israel was a reckless act and a dangerous escalation.
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 behaviour, and they will further limit Iran’s ability to destabilise the region.
Foreign Secretary David Cameron said:
At a time of great tension in the Middle East, Iran’s decision to launch hundreds of drones and missiles towards Israel carried with it a serious risk of thousands of civilian casualties and wider escalation for the region.
The sanctions announced today alongside the US demonstrate our unequivocal condemnation of Iran’s attack on a sovereign state.
The MSC Aries and its crew should be released immediately, and Iran should halt its reckless and unlawful behaviour. Further escalation is in no one’s interest.
The UK has condemned Iran’s dangerous attack on a sovereign state, which has further inflamed tensions in the Middle East and served to further isolate Iran on the world stage. Today’s designations have been made under the UK’s new Iran sanctions regime, which enables the UK to target Iran’s hostile behaviour.
Further sanctions have been imposed on:
- Armed Forces General Staff: directs and coordinates Iran’s armed forces
- The Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Navy: 1 of Iran’s 2 naval forces
- The Khatemolanbia Central Headquarters (KCHQ): responsible for operational command and control of Iran’s armed forces
- Major General Gholamali Rashid, Commander KCHQ: responsible for operational command and control of Iran’s armed forces, reports directly to the Supreme Leader
- Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Ashtiani, Minister of Defence Armed Forces Logistics: Iran’s Defence Minister, responsible for supporting and equipping the Iranian armed forces
- Seid Mir Ahmad Nooshin, Aerospace Industries Organisation (AIO) Director and 4 further individuals related to AIO
The individuals sanctioned are subject to a travel ban and asset freeze. The entities are subject to an asset freeze.
The IRGC Navy was involved in seizing the civilian ship MSC Aries in international waters and has threatened military action against Israel. The UK has continued to call for the immediate release of the ship and its crew.
In 2023 alone, the UK made 154 new designations. The UK continues to tighten the net on actors involved in the Iranian UAV and missile industries. Last year the UK introduced trade measures prohibiting the export of specific UAV components and services to Iran. The UK has also designated a wide range of companies involved in production of Iranian UAVs, including the Shahed-131 and Shahed-136 drones – models which Iran has supplied to Russia. These types of drones were also used by Iran in its attack on Israel.
The UK is continuing to work closely with our partners in the G7 as we consider further measures to hold Iran’s regime to account.
View the full UK Sanctions List.
Background
The full list of those now subject to UK action today:
- Armed Forces General Staff: directs and coordinates Iran’s armed forces
- the Khatemolanbia Central Headquarters (KCHQ): responsible for operational command and control of Iran’s armed forces
- Major General Gholamali Rashid, Commander KCHQ: responsible for operational command and control of Iran’s armed forces, reports directly to the Supreme Leader
- Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Ashtiani, Minister of Defence Armed Forces Logistics: Iran’s Defence Minister, responsible for supporting and equipping the Iranian armed forces
- the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Navy: 1 of Iran’s 2 naval forces
- Seid Mir Ahmad Nooshin: Aerospace Industries Organisation (AIO) Director
- Nader Khoon Siavash: AIO Director
- Mohammad Gholami: AIO senior official
- Sayyed Javad Musavi: Commercial director of Shahid Hemmat Industrial Group (SHIG), a subsidiary of AIO
- Amir Radfar: Shahid Bagheri Industrial Group (SBIG) Director, a subsidiary of AIO
- Mahtabal: involved UAV industry
- Aseman Pishraneh Engineering Services Company: involved in UAV industry
- Sarmad Electronic Sepahan Company: involved in UAV industry
The Aerospace Industries Organisation (AIO) is a leading industrial subsidiary of Iran’s Ministry of Defence Armed Forces Logistics with responsibility for missile production. AIO, SBIG and SHIG are already sanctioned by the UK for activity related to Iran’s nuclear programme.
The UK government works with a range of partners and will continue to use all tools at our disposal to protect individuals in the UK against any threats from the Iranian state.
The government continually assesses potential threats in the UK, and takes the protection of individuals’ rights, freedoms, and safety very seriously – wherever those threats may originate.
Today’s sanctions package is being announced under the new Iran (Sanctions) Regulations 2023, which came into force in December 2023.
The regime contains measures designed to target individuals and organisations, including designation powers designed to deter the government of Iran or armed groups that they back, from conducting hostile activity against the United Kingdom or any other country.
Today’s sanctions on Iranian UAV’s and ballistic missiles build on our export controls under the Export Control Order 2008, which require any UK exporter wanting to export these items to obtain a licence from the Export Control Joint Unit.
The addition of trade sanctions means that it is also prohibited for UK persons – wherever they are in the world – to facilitate the trade in these items by brokering their sale or supply, or to provide the financial services or funds for the transaction, or to repair the items.
The UK also maintains an arms embargo on Iran, as well as measures targeting ballistic missile production.
Asset freeze
An asset freeze prevents any UK citizen, or any business in the UK, from dealing with any funds or economic resources which are owned, held or controlled by the designated person. It also prevents funds or economic resources being provided to or for the benefit of the designated person. UK financial sanctions apply to all persons within the territory and territorial sea of the UK and to all UK persons, wherever they are in the world.
Travel ban
A travel ban means that the designated person must be refused leave to enter or to remain in the United Kingdom, providing the individual is an excluded person under section 8B of the Immigration Act 1971.
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Updates to this page
Last updated 18 April 2024 + show all updates
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Further notes on this announcement have been added.
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First published.