UK ANNOUNCES SANCTIONS AGAINST PERPETRATORS OF HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN IRAN

LONDON, Feb. 2 -- The government of the United Kingdom issued the following news:

* Foreign Secretary announces sanctionsin response tothose who have committed human rights violations in Iran * ten individualsand one organisationdesignated,including Minister of the Interior, Police Chiefs and prolific IRGC membersfor their role in recent brutality against protestors * announcementfollows commitmentsset out by ministers earlier this monthto hold the Iranian authorities to account

TheUK has today announceda sweeping package ofsanctions,as part ofworkto holdthe Iranian authoritiesaccountable fora number ofserioushuman rightsviolations.

Ten individuals and one organisationaretoday(2February)sanctionedfor their role inenablingandfacilitatingbrutality andviolenceagainst the Iranian people, both in recentpeacefulprotestsandpreviousevents.

Theannouncement follows commitments set out byboth the Prime Minister and theForeign Secretaryearlier this month, wheretheycommittedto bring forward sanctionsto hold the Iranianauthoritiesto accountfor itsviolentresponse torecentpeaceful protests.

Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said:

TheIranian people haveshown extreme courage in the face of brutality and repression over recent weekssimply for exercising their right to peaceful protest.The reports and shocking scenesof violencethathave been seen around the world are horrific.

We committed to bringingforward sanctionsandwarned the Iranian regime offurther measures.

We were clear that we wouldhold theIranianauthoritiesto account- and today's package does just that.

Today's package comes as the Foreign Secretary called on the international community to hold the Iranian authorities to account for recent violence and follows human rights sanctions imposed by the EU and the US over recent days.

It also followsthe commitment set out by theG7Foreign Ministersand the EU High Representativewhichcondemned Iran'sdeliberate use of violence against protestorsand outlined that members would beprepared to impose additional restrictiveactionifit continued.

Thefollowing organisation is today sanctioned for itsprominentrole in policingprotests in Iran andis subject to a director disqualification and asset freezeimmediately:

* The Law Enforcement Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran (FARAJA)

Alongside this, the following individuals are subject to an asset freeze,travel ban, and director disqualificationimmediately:

* Eskandar Momeni: IranianMinister oftheInteriorwho isresponsible for Iran's police force,therefore he bearsresponsibility for police violence against protestors * Mohammad Reza Hashemifar: thePolice Chief in Lorestan Province, a province where multiple protestors have been killed by the Police * Seyed Majid Feiz Jafari: thepolice chief of Iran's Public Security Policewhohas directed violent crackdowns against peaceful protesters * Yadollah Bouali: an Islamic Revolutionary Guard (IRGC)commander of Fars Provincewhois responsible for the lethal violence used by the Fajr Corp against protesters * Babak Zanjani: an Iranian businessman who runs a network of companies which generatesfundsand enables the criminalactivitiesofthe IRGC, including itssuppression of protesters * Colonel Ahmed Amini: aPolice Chiefwhohas presided over human rights abuses in Noor provincein 2024   * Mohammad Ghanbari: Commander of Iran's Criminal Investigation Policewhohas presided over human rights abuses in Iran, including the arbitrary detention and torture of protestors in 2022 and 2023 * Ahmad Darvish Goftar: aJudge in the Revolutionary Court of Rashtwhois responsible for human rights violations in Iran, including sentencing a labour rights activist to death in 2024 * Mehdi Rasakhi: aJudge in the Revolutionary Court of Rashtwho is responsible for human rights violations in Iran, including imposing excessive sentences on women's rights and labour activists * Mohammad Zamani:an Islamic Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) officer,responsible fora number of human rights violations in Iran

The UK haslong criticised Iran's unacceptable human rights recordandcontinues to call for the Iranian authorities to be held accountable for their role in the recentviolence andbrutality against protestors.

Alongside partners, the UK recently ledtheinternationalresponse tothe brutal crackdown of the protestsby pushing forward a Special Session of theUNHuman Rights Council on23 January,andalso summoned the Iranian Ambassador on the 13 January in response to recent events.

We continue to take strong action and hold the Iranian regime to account. The UK already hasimposedmore than 550 sanctions on Iranianindividuals and organisationswho enable such behaviour. Thisincludesthe Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps in its entiretyandover 90sanctionsin placefor Human Rights violations.

Background

* read the Foreign Secretary statement from 13 January 2026

* view the G7 foreign ministers' statement on protest in Iran from 15 January 2026

* a full list of today's sanctions designations and further information is on the UK Sanctions List

* today's designation was made under the Iran Sanctions Regulations (2023)

* to date, the UK has sanctioned more than 550 individuals and entities under the Iran and Iran (Nuclear) regimes

Definitions

*

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,heldor 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.  

*

Director disqualification: Where director disqualification sanctions apply, it is an offence for a person designated for the purpose of those sanctions to act as a director of a UK company, or a foreign company that is sufficiently-connected to the UK, or to take part in the management, formation or promotion of a company. 

*

Travel ban: a travel ban means that the designated person must be refused leave to enter or to remain in the United Kingdom, as the individual is an excluded person under section 8B of the Immigration Act 1971.

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