The United Kingdom has officially sanctioned ten Iranian officials and one organization, accusing them of overseeing the violent suppression of recent protests within Iran.

High-profile figures targeted in this new wave include Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni, along with senior commanders from the police force and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

This latest action brings the total number of UK sanctions against Iranian targets to over 550 and aligns Britain with similar punitive measures recently enacted by the United States and the European Union.

The unrest in Iran began in late December, sparked primarily by the collapse of the national currency. However, the demonstrations have since escalated into violent clashes and property damage. Tehran has rejected Western criticism of its crackdown, instead accusing the U.S. and Israel of orchestrating the chaos to destabilize the country.