LONDON, Feb 2 (Reuters) - Britain said on Monday it added 11 new designations under its Iran sanctions regime, including 10 individuals and one entity. (Reporting by Sam Tabahriti; writing by Sarah
UK imposes sanctions on Iranian officials over deadly protests
UK Sanctions on Iranian Officials
LONDON, Feb 2 (Reuters) - Britain on Monday imposed wide-ranging sanctions on Iranian officials and a state security body targeting those it says enabled violent crackdowns on recent peaceful protests.
Britain's foreign office sanctioned 10 individuals and a state security body for serious human rights violations, including suppression of freedom of expression, restrictions on peaceful assembly and, in some cases, breaches of the right to life.
The measures impose an asset freeze, a director disqualification sanction, and a travel ban on those designated.
Details of the Sanctions
“The Iranian people have shown extreme courage in the face of brutality and repression over recent weeks simply for exercising their right to peaceful protest," foreign minister Yvette Cooper said in a statement.
"The reports and shocking scenes of violence that have been seen around the world are horrific," she added.
The Iranian embassy in London did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.
International Reactions
The designations cover senior police chiefs, Revolutionary Guard figures and judges accused of directing violent repression, excessive sentencing or rights-abusing proceedings.
The Law Enforcement Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran was designated for its role in policing protests, while the 10 individuals were sanctioned for enabling or directing abuses across Iran's security and judicial systems.
The government said the action follows sanctions imposed by the European Union and the United States to hold the Iranian authorities to account. EU foreign ministers last week included the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps on the bloc's list of terrorist organisations.
Iran's Response to Sanctions
Talks between Iran and the United States also appeared to edge closer on Monday, with an Iranian foreign ministry official saying Tehran was weighing terms for resuming nuclear negotiations amid a U.S. naval buildup following last month's deadly protest crackdown.
Iran's reaction to rising international pressure escalated on Sunday, when the speaker of its parliament said Tehran now considered the armies of EU member states "terrorist groups" after the bloc listed the Revolutionary Guards as such.
(Reporting by Sam Tabahriti; writing by Sarah Young, editing by Paul Sandle, Editing by William Maclean)
