The UK has imposed sanctions on five senior financiers of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

The branch of the Iranian armed forces is responsible for the internal and external security of the country.

But in recent months it has been at the forefront of the violent crackdown on protests since the death of Mahsa Amini in September.

The protests have seen more than 500 killed and tens of thousands imprisoned. They mark one of the boldest challenges to the Islamic rule since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

An asset freeze and UK travel ban was imposed on five members on the board of directors of the IRGC Co-operative Foundation.

This was first established by senior IRGC officials, to manage the group’s investments in the Iranian economy.

Read more:
110 people arrested over mystery gas incidents at girls’ schools in Iran
Pardons issued for 22,000 people arrested in Iranian demonstrations
Ukraine war: Iran allegedly supplied Russia with ammunition

The sanctions have been handed out now as the foundation has broadened its remit to funding the IRGC’s “repressive activities in Iran and abroad”.

This includes the external militant group IRGC-Quds Force – which is responsible for carrying out lethal activities outside of Iran – the government said.

Two senior IRGC commanders operating in Tehran and Alborz provinces were also handed sanctions on Monday.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said: “Today we are taking action on the senior leaders within the IRGC who are responsible for funnelling money into the regime’s brutal repression.

Click to subscribe to the Sky News Daily wherever you get your podcasts

“Together with our partners around the world, we will continue to stand with the Iranian people as they call for fundamental change in Iran.”

The IRGC was first established in 1979 to protect the Shiite clerical ruling system.

Be the first to get Breaking News

Install the Sky News app for free

It has an established 125,000-strong military, and commands the Basij religious militia – an auxiliary force with various duties, including internal security, law enforcement, special religious or political events and morals policing.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Since October, the UK has imposed new sanctions on more than a dozen senior IRGC officials and more recently, in February, on a number of senior commanders under the UK’s Iran human rights regime.

Related posts:

Uber move to give 70,000 UK drivers worker benefits will ‘reverberate through the entire gig economy’ Calls for police update following cases of women reporting being spiked with needle on nights out ‘It’s so close’: Lewis Hamilton could become most successful F1 driver ever in ‘biggest weekend in a decade’ Self-isolation period in England cut to five days as 16 and 17-year-olds invited for booster jabs Murder probe after woman, 86, found dead in Derbyshire house and man critically injured Three people die in crash on A1 near Stamford in Lincolnshire Erik ten Hag appointed new Manchester United manager Liverpool, City and United among teams signing players on deadline day | Live updates Woman, 22, dies in hit-and-run outside takeaway as man arrested for murder Church of England apologises for ‘shameful’ treatment of LGBTQI+ people Police chiefs to check all officers against national database by end of March after David Carrick case Railway engineering workers to stage 48-hour strikes after rejecting pay offer