LONDON, July 6 (AFP) - Britain on Thursday (Jul 6) announced plans for a tougher sanctions regime against Iran over alleged human rights violations and hostile actions against its opponents on UK soil.

The new sanctions regime will expand existing penalties imposed by creating new criteria under which individuals and entities can be hit.

They include any Iranian activities "undermining peace, stability and security in the Middle East and internationally", and the "use and spread of weapons technologies from Iran".

Russia has been accused of unleashing Iranian-made attack drones in Ukraine, while Tehran is a close strategic ally of Syria, and backs Lebanon's Hezbollah.

"The Iranian regime is oppressing its own people, exporting bloodshed in Ukraine and the Middle East, and threatening to kill and kidnap on UK soil," said Foreign Secretary James Cleverly.

"Today the UK has sent a clear message to the regime - we will not tolerate this malign behaviour and we will hold you to account.

"Our new sanctions regime will help to ensure there can be no hiding place for those who seek to do us harm."

London accuses Iran of stepping up efforts to kill or kidnap perceived enemies of its regime, including in the UK.

It says the Iranian intelligence services have developed close relationships with organised criminal gangs in Britain and across Europe to help target opponents.

Since the start of 2022, the UK has uncovered "more than 15 credible threats to kill or kidnap British or UK-based individuals by the Iranian regime", it added.

The latest measures add to ones already taken over Tehran's hardline response to protests that have rocked the Islamic republic since the September 2022 death in custody of Iranian-Kurdish woman Mahsa Amini.

The 22-year-old had been arrested for an alleged breach of strict dress rules for women.