Iran on Thursday called in Britain's envoy in Tehran to protest against "destructive and interventionist actions" after London had announced new sanctions, Iranian state media said. Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said earlier on Thursday sanctions against Iran over alleged human rights violations and hostile actions against its opponents on UK soil will expand. "In response to the continued destructive and interventionist actions and statements of Britain, Isabelle Marsh, the charge d'affaires of the British Embassy in Tehran, was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs," official news agency IRNA reported. Iran's foreign ministry "considered the statements and positions of the British authorities as well as the recent sanctions... as an illegal and interventionist action", it added.

 The new British sanctions regime will expand existing penalties imposed by creating new criteria under which individuals and entities can be hit. They include any Iranian activities "undermining peace, stability and security in the Middle East and internationally", and the "use and spread of weapons technologies from Iran". Russia has been accused of using Iranian-made attack drones in Ukraine, while Tehran is a close strategic ally of Syria, and backs Lebanon's Hezbollah.

 The latest measures add to ones already taken by London over Tehran's response to nationwide protests following the September death in custody of Mahsa Amini. The 22-year-old Kurdish-Iranian had been arrested for allegedly violating Iran's strict dress code for women.

 Since the start of the year, Britain has imposed dozens of asset freezes and travel bans, citing alleged human rights abuses, on Iranian individuals and organisations including leading Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commanders and Tehran's prosecutor general. The United States and the European Union have also toughened their own sanctions.

Credit : Independent News Pakistan-INP