US Imposes Fresh Sanctions on Iran Over Violent Suppression of Protests, Honors Mahsa Amini's Fight for Equality

The United States has announced new sanctions on Iranian officials and entities linked to the violent suppression of anti-government protests following the death of Mahsa Amini while in police custody in Tehran last year. The sanctions, targeting top security officials and state-affiliated media outlets, were imposed in coordination with Western allies such as Canada and the United Kingdom.

Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish woman, was arrested for violating Iran's conservative dress code, which led to widespread demonstrations across the country. The protests were met with a harsh crackdown by security forces.

While Iran denies mistreatment or beating of Amini in detention, the US sanctions are a reminder of the violence faced by protesters demanding gender equality and respect for human rights. In addition to the sanctions, President Joe Biden paid tribute to Amini, stating that she inspired a historic movement for gender equality and human rights in Iran and around the world.

The sanctions freeze the assets of the sanctioned individuals and entities in the US and restrict financial institutions worldwide from doing business with them. The Biden administration's decision to impose these sanctions also indicates that the US will continue its policy of imposing sanctions on Iran despite the prisoner exchange deal between the two countries.

Under the agreement, Iran will release five imprisoned US citizens in exchange for access to $6 billion of frozen Iranian funds in South Korea for humanitarian purposes. The US will also release five Iranians from American prisons.

These latest sanctions come amidst ongoing tensions between the US and Iran, which have escalated since 2018 when former President Donald Trump withdrew from the Iran nuclear accord. President Biden has expressed his commitment to revive the nuclear deal, but negotiations have faced challenges due to the crackdown on anti-government protesters in Iran and allegations of Iran providing drones to Russia for use in Ukraine.

The US Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control listed 29 individuals and organizations linked to Amini's death, including security forces and the head of Iran's Prisons Organization. The semiofficial Fars and Tasnim news agencies, as well as state television's English-language arm, Press TV, were also sanctioned.

The US State Department imposed visa restrictions on 13 Iranian officials involved in the killing or detaining of peaceful protesters or censoring them through internet shutdowns. The European Union has also taken action, imposing asset freezes and travel bans on four Iranian officials, including a senior member of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, to mark the anniversary of Amini's death.

The EU expressed its support for the Iranian people's aspiration for a future where their human rights and fundamental freedoms are respected. The US has already sanctioned over 70 Iranian individuals and entities responsible for supporting the regime's oppression of its people. These latest sanctions serve as a reminder of the ongoing commitment to hold accountable those who suppress the Iranian population's exercise of human rights.