Britain imposes sanctions on Iranian banker Ali Akbar Ansari for supporting the Revolutionary Guard

The British government has imposed new sanctions today, Thursday, on Ali Akbar Ansari, the prominent Iranian banker and businessman, due to his involvement in providing direct financial support to the activities of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, according to British Minister of State for Middle Eastern Affairs, Hamish Balfour.

Balfour described the activities of the Revolutionary Guard in his official statement as "repressive and hostile," emphasizing that Britain "will not tolerate its threats and will not hesitate to take strict action against it." The sanctions imposed on Ansari include freezing his assets within the United Kingdom, preventing him from managing companies, and travel bans.

Ansari is considered one of the main shareholders in the Iranian "Ainadeh" bank, which was recently dissolved by the Central Bank of Iran due to massive debts and regulatory violations. The bank faced financial difficulties after financing the "Iran Mall" project, one of the largest shopping centers in the Middle East, located in the capital Tehran.

This move comes as part of an escalating British campaign against financing networks linked to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, which included last year's sanctions on Iranian military units and prominent figures, following the Iranian attack on Israel last April.