Iran announced, Thursday, May 2, in a press release from its Ministry of Foreign Affairs, sanctions targeting several American and British individuals and entities for their support of Israel in its war against Palestinian Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
Israel’s enemy, the Islamic Republic, said the sanctions targeted seven Americans, including Gen. Bryan Fenton, head of Special Operations Command, and Vice Adm. Brad Cooper, former head of U.S. naval forces in the Middle East.
Iran’s foreign ministry explained that the sanctions included “blocking accounts and transactions in Iran’s financial and banking systems, blocking assets under the jurisdiction of the Islamic Republic of Iran, as well as banning issue visas and enter Iranian territory”. The impact of these measures on individuals or entities, as well as on possible assets or transactions with Iran, however, remains uncertain.
British officials and entities targeted include Defense Minister Grant Shapps and the British Royal Navy in the Red Sea. Sanctions were also announced against US (such as Lockheed Martin and Chevron) and UK (such as Elbit Systems, Parker Meggitt and Rafael UK) companies.
Since the start of the war in the Gaza Strip, triggered on October 7 due to the unprecedented attack by the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas on Israeli soil, tensions have skyrocketed between Israel on the one hand and Iran and its allies, notably the Lebanese Hezbollah, on the other.
On April 13, Iran carried out an attack on Israel, with 350 drones and missiles, most of which were intercepted with the help of the United States and other countries. Iran says it acted in “self-defense” following the deadly attack, attributed to Israel, which destroyed its consulate in Damascus on April 1. A few days later, another attack, also blamed on Israel, hit central Iran but remained limited in terms of damage.
