WASHINGTON: President Joe Biden said Friday that the United States would support Iranians a year after the death of Mahsa Amini sparked mass protests, as Washington unveiled fresh sanctions against “egregious” rights abusers.
Biden said in a statement that “today — as we remember Mahsa’s tragic death — we reaffirm our commitment to the courageous people of Iran who are carrying on her mission.”
“Iranians alone will determine the fate of their country, but, the United States remains committed to standing with them — including providing tools to support Iranians’ ability to advocate for their own future,” Biden added.
Biden said the United States was “announcing additional sanctions targeting some of Iran’s most egregious human rights abusers” to mark the anniversary.
Amini, a 22-year-old Iranian Kurd, died on September 16 last year after her arrest in Tehran for an alleged breach of the Islamic republic’s strict dress code for women.
Her death triggered months of nationwide demonstrations under the slogan “Woman, Life, Freedom.”
The US Treasury Department said it had added 25 Iranian officials, three media outlets and a research firm onto their sanctions blacklist, saying all were linked to Tehran’s suppression of protests after Amini’s death.
Most were regional commanders of the national police force and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Also sanctioned was Gholamali Mohammadi, the head of Iran’s Prisons Organization, who the Treasury said presides over serious human rights abuses including torture and rape.
Three state-controlled media groups, Press TV, Tasnim News and Fars News were also placed on the blacklist.
The “Internet research firm” refers to a company that helps the government police and censor the Internet.
The Treasury said they “work in tandem with Iranian security and intelligence services ... extending the regime’s oppressive reach.”
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Washington’s sanctions were in coordination with the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia “and other partners who are also imposing sanctions this week.”
London announced fresh sanctions against Iran earlier Friday.
The sanctions come after the US and Iran reached a deal to release five detained US citizens in exchange for the unfreezing of $6 billion of Iranian funds.
The US citizens are expected to be released next week.
US stands with Iranians one year after Mahsa Amini death: Biden
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US stands with Iranians one year after Mahsa Amini death: Biden
- Biden said “today — as we remember Mahsa’s tragic death — we reaffirm our commitment to the courageous people of Iran who are carrying on her mission“
- Biden said the United States was “announcing additional sanctions targeting some of Iran’s most egregious human rights abusers” to mark the anniversary
Israel’s hostage forum releases AI-generated video of last Gaza captive
- The Gaza ceasefire, which came into effect in October, remains fragile with both sides alleging violations, and mediators fearing that Israel and Hamas alike are stalling
JERUSALEM: An Israeli group representing the families of Gaza hostages released on Tuesday an AI-generated video of Ran Gvili, the last captive whose body is still being held in the Palestinian territory.
The one-minute clip, created whole cloth using artificial intelligence, purports to depict Gvili as he sits in a Gaza tunnel and appeals to US President Donald Trump to help bring his body back to Israel.
“Mr President, I’m asking you to see this through: Please bring me home. My family deserves this. I deserve the right to be buried with honor in the land I fought for,” says the AI-generated image of Gvili.
Gvili was 24 at the time of Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel.
He was an officer in Israel’s Yasam elite police unit and was on medical leave when he learnt of the attack.
He decided to leave his home and brought his gun to counter the Hamas militants.
He was shot in the fighting at the Alumim kibbutz before he was taken to Gaza.
Israeli authorities told Gvili’s parents in January 2024 that he had not survived his injuries.
The AI clip was released by the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, the main group representing those taken captive to Gaza.
The Forum said it was published with the approval of Gvili’s family.
“Seeing and hearing Rani speak in his own voice is both moving and heartbreaking. I would give anything to hear, see and hold him again,” Gvili’s mother Talik said, quoted by the Forum.
“But all I can do now is plead that they don’t move to the next phase of the agreement before bringing Rani home — because we don’t leave heroes behind.”
The Gaza ceasefire, which came into effect in October, remains fragile with both sides alleging violations, and mediators fearing that Israel and Hamas alike are stalling.
In the first stage, Palestinian militants were expected to return all of the remaining 48 living and dead hostages held in Gaza.
Since the ceasefire came into effect on October 10, militants have released 47 hostages.
In the next stages of the truce, Israel is supposed to withdraw from its positions in Gaza, an interim authority is to govern the Palestinian territory instead of Hamas, and an international stabilization force is to be deployed.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to meet Trump in Florida later this month to discuss the second phase of the deal.
