The Iranian government on Wednesday announced sanctions against 34 individuals and entities from European Union (EU) countries and the United Kingdom, including former European Parliament Vice President Alejo Vidal-Quadras — already sanctioned in October 2022 — in response to the latest punitive measures by the bloc and London over the crackdown on demonstrations that have been ongoing since September following the death in custody of a woman arrested for allegedly wearing the veil incorrectly.
The Iranian Foreign Ministry has indicated that the sanctions «fall under the relevant rules and mechanisms» and come as «reciprocal action» to the EU and UK measures, while accusing the bloc and London of «supporting terrorists, inciting terrorist acts and violence in Iran and interfering with the internal affairs» of the Asian country.
«Iran condemns the actions of the EU and the British regime with their support and facilitation, as well as refusal to deal with the destructive actions of the sanctioned individuals and institutions, which violate their international obligations in the field of fighting terrorism,» it said in a statement published via its website.
Thus, it has detailed that the sanctions include the prohibition to deliver visas, the prohibition to enter Iranian territory, the blocking of bank accounts and the confiscation of properties and goods that these persons and entities may have under Tehran’s jurisdiction.
The entities sanctioned in EU territory are the Radio J radio station, based in France, the European Friends of Israel (EFI) group and the Bau Heberger construction company, «for their participation in the manufacture of chemical weapons used in the imposed war with Iraq (1980-1988).
Among those sanctioned are the French Minister Delegate for Housing, Olivier Klein; the commander of German forces in Jordan, Timo Heimbach; the Mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo; the philosopher and writer Bernard-Henry Lévy; former French parliamentarian Gilbert Mitterrand; the editor of the magazine ‘Charlie Hebdo’, Gerard Biard; Laurent Souresseau and Silvie Coma, also working for the magazine; and several Euro-parliamentarians from Germany, Austria, Italy, Sweden and the Netherlands, among others.
In the case of the United Kingdom, the sanctions affect the Henry Jackson Society, the British Attorney General, Victoria Prentis; the Deputy Attorney General of the United Kingdom, Michael Tomlinson; the former head of the secret services, Richard Dearlove; the Chief of Army Staff, Patrick Sanders; the former head of MI6, Alex Younger; the former Minister of Defense, Liam Fox; the Director General of Prisons, Phil Capel; and the head of the Counter-Terrorism Department, Bethan David.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)