Iran slaps sanctions on US, UK individuals, entities over Gaza war

By Syed Zafar Mehdi

TEHRAN, Iran (AA) - Iran has imposed a slew of sanctions on US and British individuals and entities for their alleged involvement in “terrorism and human rights violations” by supporting the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the Foreign Ministry said the sanctions on US individuals and institutions are in line with Iran’s law on “countering violation of human rights and terrorist activities of the United States in the region.”

The ministry referred to the US “support and financing” of Israel’s “terrorist acts” and “gross human rights violations” against the Palestinian people in the besieged Gaza Strip.

Nearly 34,600 Palestinians have been killed in a deadly Israeli offensive on Gaza since Oct. 7 last year following a Hamas attack, the majority of them children and women, besides spawning a worst humanitarian crisis.

US institutions placed under the Iranian sanctions include Lockheed Martin Corporation “due to its involvement in supplying weaponry” to Israel, General Dynamics for “supplying 155 mm bullets” to Israel, Skydio Engineering Company “for providing drones” to Tel Aviv.

The list also includes Chevron Corporation “for assisting Israel in the exploitation of gas wells in the eastern Mediterranean” and Kharon Company “for its role in sanctioning Hamas by the US Department of Treasury.”

The individuals sanctioned include Jason Greenblatt, chief legal officer to former President Donald Trump and the Trump Organization; Michael Rubin, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute; Jason Brodsky, the policy director of United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI); Clifford D. May, founder and president of FDD, a non-partisan policy institute and; Bryan P. Fenton, a US Army general and the 13th commander of the US Special Operations Command; Brad Cooper, commander of US Naval Forces Central Command and Gregory J. Hayes, CEO of RTX Corporation.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran in conformity with its human rights obligations and obligations in combating terrorism and countering terrorism financing, in particular, terrorism perpetrated by the United States, imposes the sanctions on the said persons and institutions,” read the statement.

Iran also imposed a slew of sanctions on British individuals and entities in line with a “law on countering the hostile activities of the Zionist (Israeli) regime against peace and security.”

The statement accused the sanctioned individuals and entities of “deliberate support and facilitation of the Israel regime’s actions, including committing terrorist acts against regional and international peace and security, systematic violation of human rights, warmongering, use of heavy weaponry and prohibited weapons against civilian, displacement of the Palestinian people, expansion of illegal settlement in occupied territory and continuation of occupation.”

The British entities put on the sanctions list include RAF Akrotiri Royal Air Force in Cyprus, UK Royal Navy in Red Sea HMC Diamond, Elbit System Company, Parker Meggitt Company and UK Rafael Company, according to the ministry statement.

The individuals in the UK sanctioned by Iran include Grant Shapps, Secretary of State for Defense; James Hockenhull, Commander of the British Army Strategic Command; Sharon Nesmith, Deputy Chief of the General Staff; Paul Raymond Griffiths, Assistant Chief of the General Staff; Adrian Bird, Director of Defense Intelligence of British Army; Richard Kemp, Commander of UK Royal Navy in Red Sea HMC Richmond; Simon Cloke, Commander of RAF Akrotiri Royal Air Force and Peter Ivans, Commander of UK Royal Navy in Red Sea HMC Diamond.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran condemns the act of the UK regime for supporting, facilitating and refraining from countering the destructive acts of aforementioned individuals and entities which is a violation of international obligations of the UK regime regarding combatting terrorism,” read the statement.

It comes barely a week after the US, UK, and Canada announced a fresh package of sanctions against Iran, which came in response to the Iranian attack on Israel last month.

The UK Foreign Office said the sanctions targeted Iran's drone and missile industries while the US Treasury said it was sanctioning entities and individuals who played “a central role in facilitating and financing the clandestine sale of Iranian unmanned aerial vehicles."