Australia Imposes Sanctions on Additional 5 Iranians Following Missile Attack on Israel
Australia has imposed sanctions on 200 Iranian individuals and entities.
The Australian government has targeted five Iranian individuals involved in Iran’s missile program with Magnitsky-style sanctions. These sanctions focus on two directors and a senior official in Iran’s Aerospace Industries Organisation, the director of the Shahid Bagheri Industrial Group, and the commercial director of the Shahid Hemmat Industrial Group.
These sanctions were implemented due to the threat posed by Iran’s missile program to regional and international security, according to a statement on Foreign Minister Penny Wong’s website.
On October 1, Iran launched over 180 ballistic missiles into Israel, leading to what the Australian government described as a “dangerous escalation” that heightened the risk of a wider regional conflict.
The Australian government continues to hold Iran accountable for its destabilizing actions and has sanctioned almost 100 individuals associated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
The United States plans to send troops to Israel along with an advanced anti-missile system to bolster the country’s air defenses, with around 100 troops overseeing the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system.
Magnitsky-Style Laws Different from Usual Sanctions
Magnitsky-style laws differ from traditional sanctions as they target individuals rather than entire nations. These laws, adopted by Australia in 2021, aim to penalize severe perpetrators of major human rights abuses, including cyber hackers, corrupt generals, associates of Russian President Vladimir Putin, or Chinese Communist Party officials implicated in serious crimes.
The Autonomous Sanctions Amendment (Thematic Sanctions) Bill 2021 prevents these offenders from seeking refuge in foreign countries for themselves, their families, or their assets.
More than 20 countries have adopted similar laws inspired by the 2012 Magnitsky Act, which was established after the death of Russian lawyer Sergei Magnitsky exposed a $230 million fraud involving Russian tax officials.
‘Do Not Travel’ Warning
Amid escalating tensions in the Middle East, the Australian government has advised Australians in Israel to prepare to leave and avoid travel to the country due to ongoing threats of missile and rocket attacks, as well as terrorist incidents. Authorities have also cautioned against visiting areas near the Lebanese border.
After Hamas’s attacks in Israel on October 7, Israel launched a military campaign against Hamas in Gaza, while Lebanon and Iran launched rocket attacks targeting Israel. Israel is currently engaged in a conflict with Hezbollah in Lebanon and has targeted senior Iranian officials, with threats of further attacks from Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran.
