Iran confirms sanctions against MPs and senior figures in CFI and LFI

Iran has confirmed it is sanctioning British individuals, including senior MP and figures in both the Conservative and Labour Friends of Israel groups and over “activities that have led to unrest, violence, and terrorist acts”

Tehran’s latest list included the names of Tom Tugendhat, minister of state for security,Steve McCabe MP, the chair of Labour Friends of Israel,and Conservative Friends of Israel president Lord Polak, and the MPs Stephen Crabb and Bob Blackman.

Commodore Don Mackinnon, British naval commander in the Persian Gulf as well as media outlets and their owners including BBC Persian and Iran International were also listed, along with the UK National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and the intelligence centre ‘GCHQ.’

The MPs and both Friends of Israel groups have been outspoken in their condemnation of the regime in Tehran.

During recent unrest in Iran, officials have complained about foreign media and social media operators including those in Britain reporting on protests and airing interviews with Iranian pundits based abroad.

The official news website IRNA said the named individuals would not be allowed to enter Iran and that any assets held under Iranian jurisdiction would be confiscated.

It said the measure did not preclude criminal prosecution and that Iran still considered the British government “accountable for supporting terrorists and human rights violators who organise and incite riots and terrorist acts in Iran from its soil.”

Foreign minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian also said Wednesday Iran would designate 19 US and European officials and entities over sanctions and “incitement to violence.”