US Sanctions High-Ranking Iranian Officials Following Protest Violence

The US placed new sanctions on Iran’s Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni and several other officials on Friday, citing the country’s violent response to recent anti-government rallies.

The US Treasury Department announced the actions, claiming Momeni “oversees the murderous Law Enforcement Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran (LEF), a key entity responsible for the deaths of thousands of peaceful protesters.”

US sanctions package also targets multiple high-ranking officials

The sanctions package also targets many senior officials of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), as well as Iranian investor Babak Morteza Zanjani, who is accused of “embezzling billions of dollars from the Iranian people.”

Treasury also slapped sanctions on digital currency exchanges affiliated to Zanjani in a first-of-its-kind step, “that have processed large volumes of funds associated with IRGC-linked counterparties.”

Despite having previously imposed heavy sanctions on Tehran, the US said it “supports the Iranian people in their protests against the corrupt and repressive regime in Tehran,” according to the agency.

Any assets owned by designated people or businesses in the United States are frozen under US sanctions legislation. The regulations also prohibit American corporations and persons from doing business with those on the list, with infractions punishable by additional fines.

The US action comes as European Union foreign ministers agree to name Iran’s IRGC as a terrorist organization, placing the strong force alongside Islamic State and al Qaeda, according to The Times of Israel.

In response to the ruling, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas wrote on X, “Repression cannot go unanswered.” She went on: “Any regime that kills thousands of its own people is working toward its own demise.”

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar called the move “historic,” and an Israeli official said the designation would make it easier to prosecute IRGC members.

The decision gained momentum following a deadly crackdown on widespread anti-regime protests earlier this month, which purportedly killed thousands, according to The Times of Israel.

In this context, Dutch Foreign Minister David van Weel stated, “It’s important that we send this signal that the bloodshed that we’ve seen, the bestiality of the violence that’s been used against protesters, cannot be tolerated.”

France and Italy, which were earlier hesitant, supported the decision this week, while Israel applauded what it called the culmination of years of diplomatic effort.

“For years Israel has worked toward this outcome, and in recent weeks with even greater intensity,” Sa’ar wrote on X, highlighting Israel’s role. He referred to the IRGC as “the number one force behind the spread of terror and the destabilization of the region” and stated that the decision would stop such activity in Europe while sending “an important message to the men and women of the Iranian people who are fighting for their freedom.”

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi criticized the designation as a “major strategic mistake” that could lead to conflict.Several countries are currently working to prevent an all-out war in our region. “Europe is instead busy fanning the flames,” Araghchi said on X.

The designation has specific legal ramifications from Israel’s point of view. An Israeli official claimed the measure would offer the EU stronger options to act against Iran, stressing that authorities would now only need to prove affiliation with the IRGC rather than involvement in a specific terror plan. Additionally, assets could be frozen more readily.

Expanding on the operational effects, the official stated, “The linkage between law-enforcement bodies within Europe sharing information and cooperating through Europol will be easier,” adding that once criminal networks realize that European agencies are keeping a close eye on them, they will reconsider helping the IRGC.

Along with the IRGC designation, the EU sanctioned 15 individuals and six businesses for significant human rights breaches in Iran, including senior officials and IRGC commanders. Additional sanctions targeted groups related to censorship and internet disinformation, as well as firms associated with Iran’s drone and missile programs, with the EU expanding export restrictions on components used in UAV and missile development, according to The Times of Israel.