London freezes assets and travel of those accused of laundering billions and plotting hostile activities backed by Iran.
Posted on May 11, 2026
The British government has imposed sanctions on an Iran-linked network accused of plotting attacks in the United Kingdom and elsewhere.
The Foreign Office has issued travel bans, asset freezes and director disqualification orders to nine individuals and three entities, linked to “hostile activities supported by Iran”.
Recommended stories
list of 3 itemsend of list
They are accused of plotting attacks and funding efforts to destabilize Britain and its allies on behalf of Iran.
Those sanctioned include alleged members and associates of the Zindashti criminal network, accused of threatening, planning or carrying out attacks against people and assets in Britain and elsewhere.
Naji Ibrahim Sharifi-Zindashti, the alleged leader of the network, was sanctioned by both Britain and the United States in 2024. Authorities described him at the time as the head of an international drug and trafficking cartel run by Iran's Ministry of Intelligence and Security.
The European Union followed last year with its own designations.
London, Washington and Brussels have accused the network of carrying out assassination and kidnapping operations, targeting critics of the Iranian government.
billions
Others sanctioned by the UK included five members of the Zarringhalam family, accused of helping to finance destabilization efforts.
Three family members were sanctioned by the United States last year for their alleged role in Iran's shadow banking network. Washington said he laundered billions of dollars through front companies in the United Arab Emirates and Hong Kong.
Two exchange houses linked to the family network, Berelian Exchange and GCM Exchange, were also designated.
Also named are Turkish national Ekrem Oztunc, Namiq Salifov of Azerbaijan and Nihat Abdul Kadir Asan of Iran. All are accused of threatening, planning or carrying out attacks in the UK or elsewhere.
The designations are the latest in a series of measures Britain has taken against Iran in recent months. These sanctions follow separate sanctions issued in February against members of Iran's security apparatus for violently suppressing widespread pro-reform protests earlier this year.
