The United States Sanctions Two Officials of the Islamic Republic

On Friday, December 8, the United States imposed sanctions on dozens of individuals, including two intelligence officials of the Islamic Republic, for human rights violations, conspiracy against American officials, and opposition to the Iranian government, ahead of Human Rights Day. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced in a statement that the U.S. Treasury and State Departments, in coordination with the governments of Britain and Canada, have imposed sanctions and visa restrictions on 37 individuals across 13 countries. The U.S. Treasury Department stated in a release on Friday, December 8, that the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has added Majid Dashtjani Farahani and Mohammad Mehdi Khanpour Ardestani, intelligence officers of the Islamic Republic, to the sanctions list. The statement noted that the Iranian regime continues its aggressive actions against opponents and efforts to 'silence their voices,' using lethal force, arbitrary detentions, and torture of prisoners, including children, to suppress peaceful protests. It further stated: 'The regime's efforts to silence its opponents go far beyond its borders and resort to transnational repressive actions, including deadly conspiracies against activists, journalists, and foreign government officials.' Regarding the reasons for sanctioning these two Islamic Republic officials, the statement said: 'Both Farahani and Ardestani have recruited individuals to carry out various operations in the United States, including against current and former U.S. government officials to avenge the killing of Qassem Soleimani, the commander of the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Farahani and Ardestani have also recruited individuals for espionage activities focused on religious sites, companies, and other facilities in the United States.' Janet Yellen, U.S. Treasury Secretary, stated in the department's announcement: 'Our commitment to supporting and defending human rights is sacred.' She continued: 'The targeted sanctions announced by the Treasury today and last year are in line with our serious commitment to promoting accountability for human rights violations and protecting the U.S. financial system from those who commit these egregious acts.' OFAC also sanctioned 13 individuals and entities responsible for providing tens of millions of dollars in currency from the sale and shipment of Iranian goods with the support of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to the Houthis in Yemen. The department stated on Thursday, December 7, that these individuals operate as a key conduit for transferring money from the Islamic Republic to the Houthis in Yemen through a complex network of exchanges and companies in various countries, via the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Saeed Jamal, who was already on the sanctions list.