New Zealand Imposes Travel Bans on Iran Officials

New Zealand has announced travel bans against 40 Iranian officials in response to a violent crackdown on protesters.

Foreign Minister Winston Peters said the sanctions target individuals accused of committing human rights violations. 

Those affected include Iran’s interior and intelligence ministers, the prosecutor general, and members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Peters said the scale of violence against demonstrators had been deeply disturbing, describing the killings of large numbers of protesters as shocking. 

“It has been horrifying to witness the brutal killing of thousands of protestors in Iran.”

He added that New Zealand was aligning with partners such as Australia, the United Kingdom, Canada, the European Union and the United States in imposing travel restrictions.

Iran’s embassy in Wellington rejected the measures, describing them as politically driven and based on what it called inaccurate information.

In a statement, the embassy argued that countries supporting US-led coercive sanctions lacked the credibility to criticise others on human rights grounds.

Deputy Prime Minister David Seymour responded by condemning Tehran’s actions, accusing Iranian authorities of killing vast numbers of their own citizens to maintain control.

He states that those responsible should face consequences, including being barred from entering New Zealand.