WASHINGTON: The United States on Wednesday imposed sanctions on Iranian officials and companies over accusations of serious human rights abuses, stepping up pressure on Tehran over its crackdown on protests as Washington marks International Women’s Day.
The US Treasury Department in a statement said it imposed sanctions on two senior Iranian prison officials it accused of being responsible for serious human rights abuses against women and girls.
Washington also put sanctions on Iran’s top army commander, a senior official in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and an official tied to the Iranian government’s efforts to block Internet access. Also hit with sanctions were three Iranian companies and their leaders who have enabled law enforcement repression, according to the statement.
The step marks the 10th round of such US sanctions since Tehran’s crackdown on protests that began after Mahsa Amini, a woman from Iran’s Kurdistan region, died in September in the custody of the morality police who enforce strict dress codes.
The protests by Iranians from all walks of life mark one of the boldest challenges to the ruling theocracy since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Iran accuses Western powers of fomenting the unrest, which security forces have met with deadly violence.
“The United States, along with our partners and allies, stand with the women of Iran, who advocate for fundamental freedoms in the face of a brutal regime that treats women as second-class citizens and attempts to suppress their voices by any means,” US Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian Nelson said in the statement.
“We will continue to take action against the regime, which perpetuates abuse and violence against its own citizens -especially women and girls,” Nelson added.
The Treasury said it acted in concert with the European Union, Britain and Australia to mark International Women’s Day.
Iran’s mission to the United Nations in New York did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Wednesday’s move freezes any US assets of those targeted and generally bars Americans from dealing with them.
US targets Iranian officials, companies in fresh sanctions
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US targets Iranian officials, companies in fresh sanctions
- “The US…stands with the women of Iran, who advocate for fundamental freedoms in the face of a brutal regime that treats women as second-class citizens”: Nelson
Syrian government foils Daesh plot to attack churches and New Year celebrations
- Bomber kills soldier in Aleppo, detonates explosives injuring 2 others
ALEPPO, DAMASCUS: The Syrian Interior Ministry announced on Thursday that it had thwarted a Daesh plot to carry out suicide attacks targeting New Year celebrations and churches, particularly in Aleppo.
The ministry said in a statement that, as part of ongoing counterterrorism efforts and careful monitoring of Daesh cells in cooperation with partner agencies, it had received intelligence indicating plans for suicide attacks targeting New Year celebrations in several provinces, particularly Aleppo, with a focus on churches and civilian gathering areas.
The ministry added that it took preemptive measures, including reinforcing security around churches, deploying mobile and fixed patrols, and setting up checkpoints across the city.
During operations at a checkpoint in Aleppo’s Bab Al-Faraj district, security forces intercepted a suspected Daesh member who opened fire. One internal security soldier was killed, and the attacker detonated explosives, injuring two others.
Daesh recently increased its attacks in Syria, and was blamed for an attack last month in Palmyra that killed three Americans.
On Dec. 13, two US soldiers and an American civilian were killed in an attack Washington blamed on a lone Daesh gunman in Palmyra.
In retaliation, American forces struck scores of Daesh targets in Syria.
Syrian authorities have also carried out several operations against Daesh since then, saying on Dec. 25 they had killed a senior leader of the group.
