Iran’s foreign ministry summoned the British chargé d'affaires on September 4, following Britain's imposition of new sanctions on Iranian individuals and entities, the ministry reported on its website.

The UK on September 2 expanded its sanctions against Iran, targeting three individuals and one entity within the special forces unit of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), in what is seen as ratcheting up of tensions between London and Tehran as the Starmer-led Labour government continues to expand its reach. 

The British government accused them of activity intended to destabilise the UK, as well as Israel, Iraq, Yemen, and Lebanon.

During the summons, the Iranian ministry condemned the action, stating that it contradicts the new British government's professed policies of engagement and cooperation with Iran.

It also underlined the “well-known fact” that the primary source of insecurity in the region is the "occupying Zionist regime," which benefits from the extensive political and military support of "certain self-proclaimed stabilisers of the region, including Britain."

“The backing of these countries for the Israeli regime's genocide of Palestinians, along with their efforts to ensure impunity for [Benjamin] Netanyahu, the war criminal, forms the foundation of instability and insecurity in the region,” the ministry said.

Among those sanctioned are Hamid Fazeli, commander of an IRGC unit, as well as Abdolfattah Anvazian and Behnam Shahriari.

“FAZELI is or has been involved in hostile activity by the Government of Iran, namely giving support or assistance to armed groups threatening, planning or conducting activity intended to cause the destabilisation of Israel.”

The UK government alleges that Anvazian was "involved in hostile activities of the Iranian government" aimed at destabilising the United Kingdom.

Shahriari is accused of activities purportedly destabilising Israel, Iraq, Yemen, and Lebanon.

The sanctions document claims that Unit 700 of the Al-Quds Force, now subject to restrictions, was involved in developing and planning "destabilising actions" within the United Kingdom.

With these additions, the UK's sanctions list against Iran now includes 27 entities and 190 individuals.

A spokesperson for the UK Foreign Office said, "These sanctions underscore our commitment to countering Iran's destabilising activities both within the UK and across the Middle East region."

On the same day, Iran also summoned the Australian ambassador over another matter related ot the embassy's promotion of gay rights on its Instagram account. 

Earlier, Iran "invited" the Russian ambassador over its stance over the Syunik corridor corridor connecting Armenia to Iran and Moscow's change of stance.