The United States has imposed new sanctions on Iran, targeting political and security officials Anti-government protestersAmid US President Donald Trump’s threats of military intervention against the country.
US sanctions on Tuesday targeted Ali Larijani, the secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNCS), and several other officials, who it said were the “architects” of Tehran’s “brutal” response to the demonstrations.
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“The United States stands firmly with the Iranian people in their call for freedom and justice,” US Treasury Secretary Scott Besant said in a statement.
“At President Trump’s direction, the Treasury Department is sanctioning key Iranian leaders involved in a brutal crackdown against the Iranian people. Treasury will use every tool to target those behind the regime’s brutal suppression of human rights.”
These sanctions freeze the assets of US individuals and make it illegal for US citizens to do business with them.
Already under heavy sanctions against Iran, the measures are largely symbolic, but signal increased US pressure on Iran amid sanctions. Larijani is a close adviser to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
After Trump earlier this week Called the Iranians Larijani quickly reacted, accusing Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of murdering Iranians, accusing them of “taking over” public institutions and “saving the names of murderers and abusers”.
“We announce the names of the main killers of the people of Iran: 1- Trump 2- Netanyahu,” he wrote on X.
According to many, thousands of protesters are believed to have been killed in a wave of protests in Iran since the beginning of the year. activist group.
The Iranian government has described the protesters as armed rioters, whom the US and Israel have launched a crackdown on, saying more than 100 Security Officer have been killed in armed attacks during protests.
Al Jazeera has not been able to independently verify these figures.
Authorities have also imposed an internet blackout on the country, making it difficult to verify the death toll as well as claims from both sides.
On Tuesday, Israel’s Channel 14, which is aligned with Netanyahu, reported that “foreign actors” were arming protesters in Iran to target government employees.
After days of Trump ramping up his rhetoric, the U.S. attacked Iran late Thursday.
Iran closes its airspace; Several Israeli cities opened their bomb shelters; And the US withdrew some personnel from the region.
Iran has threatened to retaliate to any US attack.
But as the world held its breath in anticipation of the strike, Trump softened his stance and said the killing of protesters had stopped.
“They (Iranian officials) said people were shooting at them and they were shooting back,” Trump said. “And you know, it’s one of those things, but they told me there’s not going to be an execution, and so I hope that’s true.”
He reiterated that message on Thursday, saying it was “good news” that Iran would not execute protesters.
In June, Israel launched an unprovoked attack on Iran, killing dozens of top military officials and nuclear scientists, as well as hundreds of civilians.
Trump has said he is “very much in charge”. Israeli attacksWhich culminated in the US bombing Iran’s main nuclear facilities before the cease-fire.
Before the protests began in Iran, Trump made one last threat to bomb Iran again if it rebuilds its nuclear or missile programs. Organized by Netanyahu in the US state of Florida.
The US is tightening economic sanctions against Iran aimed at curbing Tehran’s oil sales.
On Thursday, the US Treasury Department announced new measures against 18 companies and individuals involved in Iran’s energy exports.