The Qazal Hessar Prison in Karaj Sanctioned by the United States

On Thursday, December 20, the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Department of State announced that they have sanctioned the Qazal Hessar Prison in Karaj. Simultaneously, sanctions were imposed by these two departments against several entities and ships involved in the sale of oil and petrochemical products of the Islamic Republic of Iran. In a statement from the U.S. Department of State, quoting Secretary of State Antony Blinken, it was stated: 'Qazal Hessar Prison is a site of gross human rights violations, characterized by cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment and punishment of individuals in Iran who sought to exercise their right to freedom of expression.' He added that these horrific acts include severe beatings of political prisoners who had peacefully gone on hunger strikes in protest against the increasing number of executions in this prison. Previously, some prisons of the Islamic Republic of Iran had also been subjected to U.S. sanctions. Concurrently, the U.S. Treasury Department issued a statement sanctioning four entities and three ships that contributed to the generation of billions of dollars for this government through oil and petrochemical sales. According to this statement, the revenue generated was used for the Iranian government's nuclear program, the development and proliferation of ballistic missiles, and the financing of terrorist proxy groups such as Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Houthis. The statement further noted that the sanctioned ships utilized obscure and deceptive methods to conceal this trade, which is 'significantly dangerous for the shipping industry.' The U.S. Department of State also sanctioned several entities for transferring crude oil from the Islamic Republic of Iran. Bradley Smith, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Financial and Terrorism, stated that the Iranian government continues to rely on a 'shadow network' consisting of ships, companies, and facilitators to support the development of its dangerous nuclear program, the proliferation of weapon systems, and the support of its proxy groups. Mr. Smith added that the U.S. is committed to countering the 'key revenue streams' for the Islamic Republic of Iran, which, according to him, are used to fund the destabilizing activities of this government. The entities sanctioned by the U.S. are located in Liberia, Greece, Panama, the Marshall Islands, Hong Kong, Seychelles, India, and Suriname, while the sanctioned ships are flagged from Djibouti, San Marino, Panama, Cameroon, and Barbados. On Wednesday, December 27, the U.S. also sanctioned a number of individuals and entities related to the Iranian government's missile and drone programs. The United States and the European Union have imposed extensive sanctions over the past years against individuals and entities involved in the Iranian government's drone and missile programs, as well as human rights violators and those responsible for suppressing protesters. In response, despite repeated warnings from Western countries regarding the continuation of sanctions, the Islamic Republic insists on continuing its destabilizing actions in various fields, including military and human rights. The U.S.: Sanctions and pressure tools against the Islamic Republic have been effective. The U.S. Department of State: No funds will benefit the Islamic Republic through Iraq's exemption. The U.S. sanctioned 35 entities and ships for Iranian oil smuggling. Bloomberg: The relationship between JPMorgan and the company owned by Shamkhani's son is under investigation. Israel welcomed the new European sanctions against the Iranian government: it was necessary. Britain sanctioned Iran Air and the Islamic Republic Shipping Company.