- Rt Hon Winston Peters
New Zealand is applying further sanctions on Iran, placing travel bans on members of the Iranian regime involved in the violent suppression of protests, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced.
"It has been horrifying to witness the brutal killing of thousands of protestors in Iran," Mr Peters says.
"Iranians have the right to peaceful protest, freedom of expression, and access to information. Those rights have been ruthlessly violated."
The travel bans will target 40 individuals who have perpetrated human rights abuses in Iran, including Minister of the Interior Eskandar Momeni, Minister of Intelligence Esmail Khatib, and Prosecutor-General Mohammad Movahedi-Azad. It will also include members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
New Zealand joins Australia, the United Kingdom, the European Union, Canada and the United States in taking this action.
The travel bans will also apply to three Iranian individuals implicated in Iran's malign activity abroad.
"Iran's destabilising activities are totally outside the norms of acceptable state behaviour," Mr Peters says.
The individuals affected by travel bans will not be allowed to enter or transit New Zealand.
"Today's actions send a clear message that those who act with callous disregard for human life are not welcome here.
"New Zealand will continue to act deliberately and alongside partners when we see actions that undermine international law and regional stability," Mr Peters says.
New Zealand has previously announced three tranches of travel bans on 55 individuals responsible for human rights violations in Iran. New Zealand has also imposed sanctions on 29 Iranian individuals and 19 Iranian entities who have provided support to Russia's illegal war in Ukraine.
The list of banned individuals is on the MFAT website.
