Iran in the Crosshairs: US Unleashes Sanctions on 12 Military and Prison Officials for Heinous Human Rights Abuses
The U.S. Treasury building in Washington, D.C.
Image credit: Yonhap News
The U.S. government has imposed sanctions on the Iranian military and correctional authorities for violating the human rights of Iranian citizens. This move comes amid heightened tensions in the Middle East due to the simultaneous explosions of pagers in Israel that appeared to be targeting Hezbollah members, a pro-Iran armed group in Lebanon.
The U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OAFC) announced that it has newly sanctioned 12 individuals, including members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and Iranian prison officials, for violent repression of the Iranian people.
Bradley Smith, the Treasury’s Acting Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, explained the background to the sanctions, saying, ”Despite the Iranian people’s calls for peaceful reform, Iran’s leaders have intensified their well-publicized tactics of violence and coercion.”
If a person is subject to US sanctions, all of that person’s US assets will be frozen and travel to the US or dealings with US persons will be prohibited.