Washington, Jan 30, (dpa/GNA) – The United States has imposed new sanctions on senior representatives of the Iranian leadership, following the brutal crackdown on demonstrators in Iran.
The focus is on Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni, who is said to be responsible for the violent suppression of nationwide protests, the US Treasury Department said in a press release issued on Friday.
Momeni reportedly oversees the Iranian security forces, which Washington blames for the killing of thousands of demonstrators.
The sanctions also targeted several commanders from Iran’s elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the investor Babak Morteza Zanjani.
He is alleged to have embezzled billions from the oil business, and made the funds available to the government in Tehran through covert financial structures.
For the first time, the US also imposed sanctions on two cryptocurrency exchanges, associated with Zanjani.
According to the Treasury Department, assets in the US will be frozen, business relations prohibited and travel restrictions imposed.
The administration of US President Donald Trump reaffirmed that it stands with the Iranian people and will continue to increase pressure on the leadership in Tehran.
Brutal crackdown on protests
The current wave of protests was triggered at the end of December by a severe economic crisis in Iran. The government in Tehran initially appeared willing to compromise.
However, the demonstrations quickly developed into political protests against the authoritarian ruling system of the Islamic Republic. There were violent clashes and serious unrest in cities. The security apparatus responded with brutal force.
Trump publicly backed the demonstrators and repeatedly threatened the Iranian government with military intervention.
Last week, he announced that his administration would impose a new punitive tariff of 25% on imports from all countries doing business with Iran.
The EU had also reacted similarly to the actions of the Iranian government: In addition to listing the Revolutionary Guards as a terrorist organization, 31 individuals from Iran, including Interior Minister Momeni, were sanctioned.
GNA