Cleverly summons Iran’s top diplomat over threats to journalists

Vijay Rangarajan, Director General for the Middle East, held the meeting with Iranian Chargé d’Affaires Mehdi Hosseini Matin to make clear the UK will not tolerate threats to life and media freedom…reports Asian Lite News

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly instructed FCDO officials to summon Iran’s most senior diplomat, due to serious threats against journalists living in the UK.

The Foreign Secretary today instructed Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) officials to summon Iran’s most senior diplomat, due to serious threats against journalists living in the UK.

It follows the decision at the weekend by Iran International, a London-based TV network, to suspend UK operations as a result of continued threats to its staff by the Iranian regime.

Vijay Rangarajan, Director General for the Middle East, held the meeting with Iranian Chargé d’Affaires Mehdi Hosseini Matin to make clear the UK will not tolerate threats to life and media freedom.

As part of wider efforts to hold the regime to account over its behaviour globally, the UK and international partners have also today imposed further sanctions on 8 senior Iranian figures responsible for repressing their own people.

I have today summoned Iran’s most senior diplomat to make clear we will not tolerate threats to journalists in the UK.

We have also sanctioned regime members involved in repressing and killing the Iranian people, including children.

Iran's threats will never go unchallenged.

— James Cleverly🇬🇧 (@JamesCleverly) February 20, 2023

They include 3 judges who imposed the death penalty against protestors and 5 IRGC commanders.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said, “The UK will always stand up to countries who threaten our fundamental values of freedom of expression and the media. I am appalled by the Iranian regime’s continuing threats to the lives of UK-based journalists and have today summoned its representative to make clear this will not be tolerated. As part of wider efforts to hold Iran to account, the UK has today also sanctioned a further 8 individuals responsible for horrific human rights violations in Iran, including the killing of children. We will never allow the regime’s threats to go unchallenged.”

Since Mahsa Amini’s death in September 2022, the UK has imposed sanctions on more than 50 Iranian individuals and entities in response to human rights violations by the regime.

These sanctions constitute an asset freeze and UK travel ban on the individuals concerned and send a wider signal on the UK’s commitment to backing condemnation with action.

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