Tehran blacklists US-based think-tank

TEHRAN, Aug 25 (AFP): Iran has blacklisted US-based think-tank the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and its chief Mark Dubowitz on accusations of being behind "economic terrorism" against the Islamic republic.

The Iranian foreign ministry said in a statement issued late Saturday that it had "added the so-called Foundation for Defence of Democracies (FDD) and its director to the sanctions list".

"The American institution with the deceitful name" and Dubowitz were accused of being involved in "designing, imposing and intensifying the impacts of economic terrorism against Iran," it said.

The FDD and Dubowitz were blamed for "seriously and actively trying to harm the Iranian people's security and vital interests," according to the English-language statement posted on the ministry's website.

They were accused of doing so through "fabricating and spreading lies, encouraging, providing consultations, lobbying, and launching a smear campaign" against Iran.

As a result, they would be "subject to legal consequences", it said.

The move would be "without prejudice to any further legal measures that the other administrative, judicial or security institutions and organisations may take" against them and their "collaborators and accomplices".