Iran summons British diplomat over sanctions imposed by London

TEHRAN, Sept. 3 (Xinhua) — Iran’s Foreign Ministry summoned the British charge d’affaires on Tuesday in response to recent British sanctions on three Iranian individuals and one entity.
According to a ministry statement, the diplomat was summoned by Majid Nili Ahmadabadi, the ministry’s director for western European nations, following London’s announcement on Monday that it had imposed sanctions on Hamid Fazeli, Behnam Shahriari, Abdolfatah Ahvazian, and Unit 700 of the Quds Force of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The British government accused these individuals and the entity of supporting activities aimed at destabilizing Israel, Iraq, Yemen, Lebanon, Britain, and other nations.
During the meeting, Ahmadabadi condemned the sanctions, asserting they conflicted with the new British government’s purported policies of engagement and cooperation.
The Iranian diplomat also criticized Britain for its support of Israel’s actions against Palestinians and its backing of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, claiming these contributed to regional instability.
The British charge d’affaires said that Iran’s concerns would be conveyed to the British government, the statement noted. ■