The United States issued more sanctions against Iran on Wednesday, targeting officials accused of violating women’s rights during an uprising in the country.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced that the Treasury Department is sanctioning two Iranian officials overseeing prisons, two senior Iranian security leaders, three Iranian law enforcement companies and their leaders, and a high-ranking law enforcement official.
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“Today — on International Women’s Day — the United States is taking action in coordination with the European Union, United Kingdom, and Australia to promote accountability for the Iranian regime’s continued human rights abuses, particularly those against women and girls,” Blinken said in a statement.
“The United States remains deeply concerned that Iranian authorities continue to suppress dissent and peaceful protest, including through mass arrests, sham trials, hasty executions, the detention of journalists, and the use of sexual violence as a means of protest suppression,” Blinken continued.
The sanctions deny the Iranians access to U.S. financial assets and property and prevent people and companies in the U.S. from doing business with them.
The sanctions target those who participated in the violent crackdown on protests over the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who died while in the custody of Iran’s morality police for not wearing her hijab correctly in September. The protesters, largely led by women, are protesting for women’s rights, democracy, and a complete change to the Iranian regime.
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“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,” Brian Nelson, the undersecretary of the Treasury for terrorism and financial intelligence, said.
“We will continue to take action against the regime, which perpetuates abuse and violence against its own citizens — especially women and girls,” he added.
Wednesday’s sanctions were the 10th round of sanctions issued by the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control since the protests started. The sanctions target the Iranian regime.
