Miliband announces new Iran sanctions over ‘nuclear violations’

Britain will report Iran to the UN Security Council over its nuclear programme and expand sanctions on Tehran and its proxies, Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband has announced.

Addressing members of parliament (MPs) on Tuesday, Ed Miliband reiterated the UK government’s view that Iran “must never have a nuclear weapon” as he unveiled the new sanctions.

Miliband said the UK would reimpose major sanctions lifted as part of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, and report Tehran to the UN “for its nuclear violations” alongside allied nations.

He also announced that the UK would place sanctions on al-Qard al-Hasan, the financing arm of one of Iran’s proxy terror groups Lebanese Hezbollah.

He told the House of Commons: “October 7 makes plain the grave threats that Israel faces, and it has every right to defend itself.

“We should not only condemn those threats, but act against those who carry them out.”

Earlier, in a written statement to parliament, Foreign Office minister Stephen Doughty announced the reimposition of sanctions on Iran aimed at curbing its nuclear ambitions.

The measures will further restrict Iran’s ability to access UK financial services; expand trade prohibitions to sectors including energy, software and gold; and enhance Britain’s ability to sanction Iranian ships.

Iranian aircraft will also be banned from landing in the UK in most cases.

Doughty said the package would include “carefully designed sanctions mitigations”, including a licence to allow the Shah Deniz gas field in Azerbaijan to continue to operate.

He said this was in line with US and EU sanctions that also had a carve-out for the field.

The additional sanctions on Iran and Lebanese Hezbollah came as Miliband set out plans for a “reset” in relations with Israel, including a ban on trade with illegal settlements in the West Bank.

Describing himself as a “proud British Jew,” the foreign secretary accused the Israeli government of turning a blind eye to “ethnic cleansing” of Palestinians by “settler terrorists.”