US Announces New Iran-Related Sanctions For Government Protest Response - Treasury Dept.

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 22nd December, 2022) The US Treasury Department on Wednesday announced new sanctions on five Iranian nationals and one entity, including Iran's chief prosecutor and individuals linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), for the government's response to protests against the regime.

"Today, the US Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is targeting the Prosecutor General (Mohammad Montazeri) and key military and paramilitary officials in Iran, as well as a company manufacturing and providing Iran's Law Enforcement Forces with anti-riot equipment," the Treasury Department said in a statement.

The sanctions target Montazeri for overseeing the prosecution of protestors, as well as leaders of military and paramilitary organizations involved in crackdowns on demonstrations, the statement said.

The sanctioned company, Imen Sanat Zaman Fara Company, manufactures equipment for law enforcement officials, including the government's Primary protest suppression force, the statement said.

The sanctions block targets' property and interests in the United States and restrict US persons from dealing with the targets. The sanctions come in a series of US government responses to the anti-government protests in Iran, sparked by the death of 22-year old Mahsa Amini in police custody.

The Iranian government asserts that Amini died of a heart attack after being detained for "improperly" wearing a hijab, while demonstrators contend she died after being beaten by the so-called Morality Police.