Ukrainian government suggests to impose 50-year sanctions on Iran

The government made the decision at a meeting on April 25.

"We are launching sectoral sanctions against Iran. Unfortunately, the previous restrictions imposed by Ukraine and our partners on individuals and companies directly involved in the supply of weapons to Russia were not perceived as a serious warning. Well, we will strengthen our arguments. We will also work to ensure that as many countries as possible join in such tough decisions. Aggression against Ukraine will not go unpunished. Similarly, assistance to the aggressor will not go unpunished," said Yulia Svyrydenko, First Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine and Minister of Economy of Ukraine.

The government proposes to impose sanctions for 50 years. They include:

• preventing the withdrawal of capital from Ukraine by Iranian residents;

• a ban on transferring technologies and intellectual property rights to Iranian residents;

• prohibition of investments in Iran and to/for the benefit of Iranian residents;

• suspension of servicing of electronic means of payment (including transfers, payments and cash withdrawals) issued by Iranian residents;

• prohibition of registration by the National Bank of Ukraine of an international payment system, a participant of an international payment system operated by Iranian residents, etc;

• restriction of trade operations with goods, the international transfers of which are subject to the Law of Ukraine "On State Control over International Transfers of Military and Dual-Use Goods" with Iranian residents (complete ban). 

The sanctions also provide for restrictions on trade in services related to the supply, sale, transfer, production or use of such goods, and a complete termination of transit of resources, flights and transportation by Iranian residents through the territory of Ukraine related to the above transactions.

The proposed sanctions will come into force after the relevant decision is made by the National Security and Defense Council, enacted by the President of Ukraine and approved by the Ukrainian parliament.

• On February 28, the Canadian government imposed new sanctions against Iranian officials responsible for human rights violations.

• On March 20, the EU expanded and extended sanctions against Iran for human rights violations.