US and UK Impose New Sanctions on Iran Following Attack on Israel
In response to Iran’s recent attack on Israel, the United States, in coordination with the United Kingdom and G7 leaders, announced a new set of stringent sanctions targeting Iran’s unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) production capabilities. This coordinated international response aims to curb Tehran’s military aggressions and its capacity to carry out aerial assaults.
President Joe Biden highlighted that these sanctions specifically focus on leaders and entities associated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Iran’s Defense Ministry, and the Iranian government’s missile and drone programs. These measures are a direct response to Iran’s use of Shahed variant UAVs in an attack on April 13, which Tehran claimed was a retaliation for a presumed Israeli strike on its consulate in Damascus earlier in April.
The US Treasury Department identified 16 individuals and two entities directly enabling Iran’s UAV production. Additionally, the sanctions extend to five companies across various jurisdictions that provide materials for steel production or purchase finished steel products from Iran’s Khuzestan Steel Company, which is one of the country’s largest steel producers.
The US Commerce Department also announced further restrictions on Iran’s access to specific technologies, including those that necessitate a license for export or re-export to Iran, particularly those made abroad using US technology.
In a parallel move, Britain imposed sanctions on seven individuals and six entities, including the Armed Forces General Staff and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy. British Foreign Secretary David Cameron emphasized the need for a coordinated strategy to address Iran’s unacceptable behavior, reflecting a robust international stance against Tehran’s actions.
