The UK and US sanction Houthi enablers

• UK sanctions package, coordinated with the US, targets those that support or enable the work of the Houthis across the Middle East and around the Red Sea.
• UK and US sanctions both include key units within the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force (IRGC-QF) and the Deputy Commander.
• Foreign Secretary warns the UK and our partners ‘will not hesitate to act’ to protect regional stability and maritime security in the Red Sea.

Today the UK and US have announced a number of sanctions against those that support, enable or deliver work of the Houthis, the Iran-backed proxy group in Yemen responsible for widespread attacks against commercial shipping in the Red Sea.

The UK will today sanction two individuals and three organisations for their role in providing financial or military support to the Houthis, in order to expose and disrupt their efforts to undermine regional stability across the Middle East. The UK will also sanction a Houthi security minister for threatening the peace, security and stability of Yemen by supporting attacks against shipping in the Red Sea.

Today’s announcement follows the commitment laid out by the Prime Minister on the 23 January to cut off the Houthis financial resources. It is the second tranche of recent sanctions targeted at the Houthis or those that enable their activity and follows additional pre-existing sanctions against 11 Houthi individuals and two entities.

Foreign Secretary David Cameron said:

The attacks by the Iran-backed Houthis are unacceptable, illegal and a threat to innocent lives and freedom of navigation.

As I have made clear to the Iranian Foreign Minister, the regime bears responsibility for these attacks due to the extensive military support it has provided to the Houthis.

All those who seek to undermine regional stability should know that the UK, alongside our allies, will not hesitate to act.

Over recent weeks, the Houthis have continued to carry out a number of dangerous attacks against commercial shipping in the Red Sea.

Iran has supported the Houthis to carry out these attacks, by providing intelligence, missiles and drones.

The individuals and entities that are subject to UK travel bans and/or asset freezes today including:

• Mohammad Reza Fallahzadeh: Deputy Commander of the IRGC Quds Force, also designated by the US today.

• Sa’id al-Jamal: Iran-based financier who heads a network of front companies and vessels that generate revenue for the Houthis. Previously designated by the US.

• IRGC Quds Force Unit 190: in charge of transferring and smuggling weapons to organisations, groups and states that are allied with Iran.

• IRGC Quds Force Unit 6000: in charge of operations on the Arabian Peninsula and has personnel on the ground in Yemen supporting Houthi military activity.

• IRGC Quds Force Unit 340: in charge of research and development and providing training and technical support to groups backed by Iran.

• Ali Hussein Badr Al Din Al-Houthi: Undersecretary of the Interior and Commander of the security / police forces.

The IRGC Quds Force is the branch of the IRGC responsible for foreign operations and has provided extensive support to the Houthis, Hezbollah, Hamas and Iran aligned militia groups based in Iraq, in recent years.

To date, the UK has more than 400 sanctions designations in place on Iranian individuals and entities, including those that seek to use malign influence regionally and internationally.

A majority of today’s designations sit under the UK’s new Iran sanctions regime, which came into effect in December 2023 and provides new powers to hold Iran and those who undertake its hostile activity to account.

In addition to this, one designation also sits under the Yemen sanctions regime. Introduced as autonomous regulations in the UK in 2020, it enables the UK to hold individuals or entities to account where they threaten peace, security or stability in Yemen.

Last month, the UK and US sanctioned key Houthi figures to disrupt their ability to carry out attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea, acts which undermine the peace, stability and security of Yemen. This was the first set of UK sanctions against the Houthis since the attacks in the Red Sea began in November.

Further Information

• The Iran sanctions regime contains measures designed to target individuals and organisations, including designation powers designed to deter the Government of Iran or armed groups that they back, from conducting hostile activity against the United Kingdom or any other country.
• Today’s sanctions are targeted and are not intended to disrupt or delay the delivery of life saving aid, food imports or commercial activity involving support to the people of Yemen.
• The UK announced the first tranche of sanctions against key Houthi figures on 25 January 2024.
• Pre-existing sanctions against 11 Houthi individuals and 2 entities remain in force. This includes Houthi Security Chief Sultan Zabin, who was sanctioned by the UN in February 2021, for heading a campaign of systematic arrest, detention, torture, sexual violence and rape against politically active women in Yemen. As well as Mansur Ahmad Al-Sa’adi, the Houthi Naval Forces Chief of Staff, who has masterminded lethal attacks against international shipping in the Red Sea, plays a leading role in Houthi naval efforts that directly threaten the peace, security, and stability of Yemen.
• Asset freeze: An asset freeze prevents any UK citizen, or any business in the UK, from dealing with any funds or economic resources which are owned, held or controlled by the designated person. It also prevents funds or economic resources being provided to or for the benefit of the designated person. UK financial sanctions apply to all persons within the territory and territorial sea of the UK and to all UK persons, wherever they are in the world.
• Travel ban: A travel ban means that the designated person must be refused leave to enter or to remain in the United Kingdom, providing the individual is an excluded person under section 8B of the Immigration Act 1971.
• Targeted Arms Embargo: Prevents any prevents any UK citizen, or any business in the UK from trading in military goods or technology and related services (including training and support) to the designated person. It also prevents some other types of support to designated persons that enables or facilitates the conduct of armed hostilities. The Houthis are already subject to a UN arms embargo. UK trade sanctions apply to all persons within the territory and territorial sea of the UK and to all UK persons, wherever they are in the world.