U.S. Sanctions Iranian Officials, Including IRGC Commander In West Azerbaijan, Over Crackdown On Protests

The Biden Administration on Wednesday sanctioned 3 high level Iranian security officials, including the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) ground forces commander who oversees the West Azerbaijan province, over the country’s crackdown on protests stemming from the death of a young woman in police custody in September, TURAN's Washington correspondent reports.

The Treasury Department imposed the sanctions against IRGC commander Mohammad Taghi Osanloo from the city of Mahabad, as well as 2 others — Alireza Moradi, the commander of Iran’s Law Enforcement Forces; and Hassan Asgari, the governor of Sanandaj.

“The abuses being committed in Iran against protestors, including most recently in Mahabad, must stop,” Brian Nelson, the under secretary of the Treasury for terrorism and financial intelligence, said.

Protests broke out across Iran after 22-year-old Mahsa Amini died in mid-September while in the custody of the country’s “morality police” after she was arrested for allegedly wearing her hijab incorrectly. At least 426 people have been killed, more than 17,400 people have been detained, according to human rights groups that have been monitoring the situation.

According to the Treasury Department, Asgari was one of the officials who claimed that a 16-year-old reportedly killed by security forces died from a drug overdose, and Moradi led the crackdown on protesters in Sanandaj.

Moradi also authorized the use of lethal weapons against unarmed protesters in Sanandaj during nationwide protests in November 2019, according to the State Department.

The department said the IRGC, under the oversight of Osanloo, has deployed additional forces to Kurdish cities in Iran to respond to the protests.

"The United States continues to support the Iranian people as they protest nationwide," Secretary of State Antony Blinken said. "The human rights abuses inflicted by Iran’s government on its people must not go without consequence," he added.

Alex Raufoglu

Washington D.C.