An Iranian Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison in the UAE for 'Violating Sanctions'

The appeals court in the United Arab Emirates has upheld a 10-year prison sentence for an Iranian who was convicted of 'violating' sanctions related to Iran. According to AFP, this news was reported on Tuesday (October 3) by the UAE's state news agency, WAM News. The individual had previously been convicted for importing power generators and other devices used in nuclear industries from the UK and attempting to re-export those devices to Iran. Other charges against this person include transferring information to the Islamic Republic. The identity of the individual, who was sentenced to 10 years in prison last spring, has not been disclosed. There is also a possibility of his deportation after serving his sentence. AFP noted that although sanctions related to the Islamic Republic's nuclear activities were lifted following an agreement between Tehran and world powers, the UAE and other Sunni Arab Gulf states remain strict in this regard due to concerns over Iran's influence in the Middle East. Recently, the UAE Foreign Minister stated that Iran's 'hostile expansionist policy' is the 'main obstacle' to resolving all crises in the Arab world and the 'main barrier' to peace among Arabs. Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE Foreign Minister, added at the 72nd annual session of the United Nations General Assembly that Tehran has violated both the text and spirit of the JCPOA. Bin Zayed accused Iran of 'interfering' in the internal affairs of other countries and supporting groups that promote 'terrorism,' stating that Iran supports the Houthi rebels in Yemen and Hezbollah in Lebanon, who are alongside supporters of Bashar al-Assad in the Syrian civil war. On September 11, the Deputy for International Affairs and Schools Abroad of Iran's Ministry of Education reported problems faced by Iranian public schools in Abu Dhabi and Sharjah in the UAE. Iran and the UAE, in addition to their dispute over the ownership of the three islands of Lesser Tunb, Abu Musa, and Greater Tunb in the Persian Gulf, have recently found themselves on opposing sides regarding regional issues, including developments in Syria and Yemen and Iran's relations with Saudi Arabia. The UAE, along with Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Egypt, severed all relations with Qatar in June due to what they called support for 'extremism' and close ties with the Islamic Republic of Iran.