The U.S. Sanctions Individuals Linked to the Quds Force and Palestinian Militant Groups

On Thursday, December 15, the U.S. Treasury Department announced that the United States has sanctioned Majid Zarei, an official of the Quds Force, who is accused of supporting groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah. This action blocks the individual's assets in the U.S. and prohibits Americans from engaging in transactions with him. Individuals who conduct transactions with the sanctioned person will also be subject to sanctions. Wally Adeyemo, the Deputy Secretary of the Treasury, stated that the United States continues to combat the financing of terrorism and Iranian threats in coordination with its partners, including the United Kingdom. Previously, the British Foreign Office also announced that new sanctions against the Islamic Republic, effective from Thursday, December 14, would grant the country comprehensive new powers to hold the Islamic Republic and its agents accountable for human rights violations, violent repression of protesters, and international destabilizing activities. The list from the British Foreign Office includes: 'The first set of sanctioned names includes Ismail Qaani, who leads the notorious Quds Force, oversees Iran's operations abroad, and supports regional partners and proxy groups.' The statement noted that a list of seven individuals and one other entity has been sanctioned, all linked to Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, due to their involvement in hostile activities by these armed groups supported by the Iranian regime, which include actions aimed at threatening, planning, or creating instability in Israel. Individuals subject to travel bans to the UK and asset freezes include: Ismail Qaani, commander of the Quds Force; Mohammad Saeed Izadi, head of the IRGC's Palestinian branch and head of the foreign operations unit Abu Jihad; and three other members of the IRGC's Palestinian branch. Also included are Khalid Qudumi, Hamas representative in Iran, and Nasser Abu Sharif, representative of Palestinian Islamic Jihad in Iran. Hamas and Islamic Jihad, financially and militarily supported by the Islamic Republic, targeted Israel with missile attacks on October 7, killing at least 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking about 240 hostages, including children, women, and the elderly. The U.S., UK, EU, Israel, Japan, and several other countries classify Hamas and Islamic Jihad as terrorist organizations. The UK: New sanctions against the Islamic Republic are being implemented. The EU sanctioned six individuals and five entities related to the Islamic Republic's drone assistance to Russia. The U.S. sanctioned two officials of the Islamic Republic. The UK sanctioned five officials of the Islamic Republic in relation to 'mandatory hijab enforcement.' The White House states that Iran uses the Houthis in Yemen to carry out missile and drone attacks.