LONDON, May 11 (Reuters) – Britain on Monday sanctioned 12 individuals and entities linked to Iran, accusing them of involvement in hostile activity including plotting attacks and providing financial services to groups seeking to destabilise the UK and other countries.
Those targeted by the sanctions include alleged members and associates of what the British government described as the Zindashti criminal network, as well as several exchange houses and financial operators.
The government said the network was involved in Iranian-backed hostile activity, including threatening, planning or conducting attacks against people and assets in Britain and elsewhere.
Iran has repeatedly denied involvement in attacks or plots in the UK and other countries.
According to the notice, some individuals were sanctioned for directly participating in hostile acts, while others were accused of providing financial services or other material support to facilitate such activity.
The measures, set out in a government sanctions notice, include asset freezes, travel bans and director disqualification orders.
Britain said the financial entities sanctioned had provided services to individuals and groups linked to destabilising activity, allowing networks connected to Iran to move and access funds despite international restrictions.
Last month, police said they were investigating possible Iran links to a recent series of arson attacks on Jewish targets in London, which prompted counter-terrorism inquiries and warnings about hostile activity by Tehran or groups acting on its behalf.
The UK raised its national terrorism threat level to “severe”, the second-highest rating, with police and ministers warning of an elevated risk of attacks and growing concern about hostile activity linked to foreign states, including Iran.
(Reporting by Sam Tabahriti, editing by William James)
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