UK sanctions networks enabling Iran's destabilising activity
Source: gov.uk (2025-08-20)

The UK has announced sanctions against those whose revenue supports Iran's destabilising activities.

Minister for the Middle East, Hamish Falconer said:

Today, the UK is announcing sanctions against those who operate on behalf of Iran, fuelling its attempts to undermine stability in the Middle East and global security.

Iran’s reliance on revenues from trading networks and connected organisations enables it to carry out its destabilising activities, including supporting proxies and partners across the region and facilitating state threats on UK soil.

That’s why this government has taken steps to expose this behaviour and send a clear message to those who act on behalf of Iran. Disrupting Iran’s malign influence and keeping the British people safe remains our number one priority, underpinned by our Plan for Change.

We are clear that we will continue to hold Iran to account, and today’s designations mark a definitive step in doing so.

Background:
- The following individual is today sanctioned by the UK government and subject to an asset freeze, director disqualification and travel ban: Hossein Shamkhani
- The following companies are today sanctioned by the UK government and subject to an asset freeze and director disqualification: Petrochemical Commercial Company (PCC), Admiral Shipping Group, Ocean Leonid Investments, Milavous Group.
- A full list of today’s sanctions designations and further information can be found here: The UK Sanctions List - GOV.UK (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-uk-sanctions-list)
- Today’s designations were made under the Iran Sanctions Regulations (2023) (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/iran-sanctions-guidance/iran-sanctions-guidance).
- To date, the UK has sanctioned more than 450 Iranian individuals and entities, in response to the regime’s human rights violations, nuclear weapons programme and malign influence internationally.
- Definitions:
- Asset freeze: an asset freeze prevents any UK citizen, or any business in the UK, from dealing with any funds or economic resources which are owned, held or controlled by the designated person. It also prevents funds or economic resources being provided to or for the benefit of the designated person. UK financial sanctions apply to all persons within the territory and territorial sea of the UK and to all UK persons, wherever they are in the world.
- Travel ban: a travel ban means that the designated person must be refused leave to enter or to remain in the United Kingdom, as the individual is an excluded person under section 8B of the Immigration Act 1971.
- Director disqualification: Where director disqualification sanctions apply, it is an offence for a person designated for the purpose of those sanctions to act as a director of a UK company, or a foreign company that is sufficiently-connected to the UK, or to take part in the management, formation or promotion of a company.
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