UK freezes assets of IMCR over suspected hostile activity

LONDON, July 13, 2026 — Britain on Monday added the Islamic Movement of Companions of the Right to its sanctions list under the Iran sanctions regime, imposing an asset freeze on the entity and barring funds or economic resources from being made available to it under UK financial sanctions rules. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said the designation was made under the Iran (Sanctions) Regulations 2023.

The sanctioned entity was listed with the unique ID IRN0281 and a series of name variations including Ashab al-Yamin, Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamia, HAYI and IMCR. The UK statement of reasons said the government had reasonable grounds to suspect the group was an “involved person” because it had engaged in hostile activity by the Government of Iran that undermines the security of the United Kingdom or another country, and in attacks against people and assets, including sabotage.

The designation appears to follow a wider Western focus on HAYI. In a joint statement published June 10, 24 countries condemned what they described as Iranian state threats and HAYI-claimed attacks across Europe. That statement did not itself announce sanctions, but it publicly linked concern over the group to broader allegations of Iranian-backed hostile activity.

Under the UK Iran sanctions framework, the regulations are intended in part to deter the Government of Iran or Iran-backed armed groups from conducting hostile activity against the United Kingdom or any other country. The latest notice says anyone who knows or suspects they control funds or economic resources belonging to the designated entity must freeze them, avoid dealing with them unless permitted by law or license, and report findings to the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation.