The U.S. and Britain have imposed sanctions against two individuals and three organizations affiliated with the Revolutionary Guards’ Quds Force for facilitating the activities of Houthi paramilitaries supported by the Iranian regime in Yemen.
On February 27, the British Foreign Ministry announced that the new sanctions target Mohammad Reza Fallahzadeh, the deputy commander of the Quds Force of the Revolutionary Guards; three units of the Quds Force of the IRGC; Saeed al-Jamal, an Iranian resident and businessman; and Ali Hussein Badr-al-ddin al-Houthi, the deputy minister of the Houthi government.
Washington, on Tuesday, also sanctioned Ibrahim al-Nasheri, a Houthi member, in addition to Mohammad Reza Fallahzadeh.
Fallahzadeh, also known as Abu Baqer, was appointed as the deputy commander of the Quds Force of the Revolutionary Guards in March 2021. He is one of the lesser-known senior commanders of the Revolutionary Guards.
The U.S. Treasury Department also announced the inclusion of two registered companies in Hong Kong and the Marshall Islands in its list of sanctions. It has also imposed sanctions on two cargo ships, one of which had transported about $100 million worth of goods to China.
Two other companies, acting on behalf of the Iranian Ministry of Defense to deliver goods to Chinese companies through the same ship, have also joined the sanctions list of this department.
The three units sanctioned by Britain are responsible for arms transfer and smuggling to organizations, groups, and governments under the protection of the Iranian regime, as well as operational responsibilities in the Arabian Peninsula and research, development, and technical support for groups supported by the Iranian regime.
David Cameron, the British Foreign Secretary, said in a statement issued by the country’s Foreign Ministry that the attacks by Iran-backed Houthi forces are unacceptable, illegal, and a threat to innocent lives and freedom of navigation.
Today, we are sanctioning key figures supporting the Houthis, who continue their attacks in the Red Sea.
We will not stand by as the Houthis put innocent lives at risk, threaten regional stability and harm the global economy. pic.twitter.com/88bIRFppoB
— Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (@FCDOGovUK) February 27, 2024
He added, that as he has told the Iranian Foreign Minister, the Iranian regime is responsible for these attacks due to its extensive military support for the Houthis.
Shipping in the Red Sea has been severely threatened since November due to repeated drone and missile attacks by Houthi forces in the region.
Houthi paramilitaries claim that these attacks are in support of the Palestinians and have stated that they will continue these attacks.
U.S. and British forces have conducted several attacks on Houthi facilities in response to their attacks. The United States and Britain had previously imposed sanctions on the Houthis.
In late January, they announced new sanctions on four senior officials of the Houthi group for their role in directing or supporting direct attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea.
Officials of these two countries separately stated on January 25 that Mohammed Nasser al-Atifi, the Houthi defense minister; Mohammed Fadel Abdul Nabi, the commander of the group’s navy; Mohammed Ali al-Qudairi, the commander of the coastal defense of the Houthis; and Mohammed Ahmad al-Talebi, who is said to be responsible for the supplies of Houthi forces, have been placed on the sanctions list.
The Houthis, who receive support from the Iranian regime, have also returned to the U.S. list of foreign terrorist organizations.
