In a move to counteract perceived threats and actions against peace in the Middle East, the United Kingdom and the United States jointly announced the implementation of new sanctions against Iran and specific individuals associated with Palestinian militant groups.
On Thursday, the British government unveiled a robust sanctions regime, empowering it to take decisive action against Iran and its key decisionmakers. The measures target seven individuals, including the head of Tehran’s Quds Force, Esmail Qaani, accused of orchestrating or planning actions aimed at destabilizing Israel.
Foreign Minister David Cameron expressed the necessity of these sanctions, emphasizing the “unprecedented threats” posed by Tehran to peace in the region and its alleged involvement in plots to harm individuals within the UK. Cameron declared, “The behavior of the Iranian regime poses an unacceptable threat to the UK and our partners.”
The UK sanctions primarily focus on individuals linked to the Quds Force, the elite unit of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC). Esmail Qaani faces travel bans and asset freezes, along with Mohammed Saeed Izadi, the head of IRGC-QF Palestine branch, and other members, including Ali Marshad Shirazi, Majid Zaree, and Mostafa Majid Khani. The entire Palestine branch is subject to asset freezes.
The British government further revealed that the Iranian regime has been using its influence to destabilize the Middle East by supporting armed groups, including Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ). Consequently, representatives of these groups in Iran, Khaled Qaddoumi (Hamas) and Nasser Abu Sharif (PIJ), are also targeted with travel bans and asset freezes.
Simultaneously, the United States took parallel action by imposing sanctions on Majid Zaree, a Quds Force official accused of providing support to groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah. The Treasury Department issued a statement, indicating that the sanctions include freezing any of Zaree’s US assets and prohibiting Americans from engaging in transactions with him. Individuals engaging in certain transactions with Zaree also risk facing sanctions themselves.
These coordinated efforts by the UK and the US underscore the increasing concern over Iran’s alleged interference in regional affairs and support for militant groups, reflecting a united stance against activities deemed detrimental to stability and peace in the Middle East.
