Labour calls for new Magnitsky sanctions amid Iranian crackdown

New sanctions should be placed on those involved in the suppression of protests in Iran, Labour has said.

Shadow foreign secretary David Lammy said Magnitsky sanctions, which target human rights violations, should be used against organisations or individuals involved in the crackdown.

It comes after Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard said it had arrested seven individuals involved in the protests with a “direct link” to Britain.

Without elaborating, it said some members of the network had dual nationality.

Tehran has arrested a number of Iranians with dual nationality in recent years and convicted them of state security offences in closed-door trials.

It is also believed that Iranian-made attack drones are being used by Russia to target Ukraine’s civilian infrastructure.

Mr Lammy said: “The killings and repression being carried out by the Iranian regime against courageous Iranian protesters seeking a better future is appalling. There must be an end to impunity.

“The UK Government urgently needs to put in place new Magnitsky sanctions against individuals and organisations involved in the repression.

“The Iranian regime must be held accountable for every crime it has committed through an urgent investigation by the UN Human Rights Council.”

The UK has introduced a wave of sanctions on Iran in response to its crackdown on the protests that erupted after the death in custody of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini.

On Tuesday, Foreign Secretary James Cleverly tweeted that the UK would “hold the tyrants in Iran to account” as he set out the British response to the country’s actions.