The United States, Britain, and Canada jointly announced a fresh round of sanctions against Iran on Friday, just days before the one-year anniversary of the tragic death of Mahsa Amini, a Kurdish Iranian woman who died while in the custody of Iran's morality police. This incident had triggered widespread anti-government protests in Iran, met with a brutal crackdown by authorities.
Mahsa Amini, aged 22, passed away on September 16th last year after being detained for allegedly violating Iran's mandatory dress code. Her death set off months of protests, marking one of the most significant displays of opposition against the Iranian government in recent years. In anticipation of potential unrest this weekend, Iranian security forces have been deployed to her hometown.
The European Union, along with the US, UK, and Canada, has previously imposed multiple rounds of sanctions on Iran, citing the Iranian government's extensive and often violent suppression of protests following Mahsa Amini's death.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressed, "Mahsa's tragic and senseless death in the custody of Iran's so-called 'Morality Police' sparked demonstrations across Iran that were met with unspeakable violence, mass arrests, systemic Internet disruptions, and censorship by the Iranian regime." Blinken affirmed the commitment to hold those responsible for human rights violations in Iran accountable.
The US Treasury Department, in a separate statement, revealed that it has imposed sanctions on more than two dozen individuals and entities associated with Iran's "violent suppression" of protests following Amini's death, as well as its crackdown on dissent and internet restrictions. These sanctions target 29 people and groups, including 18 prominent members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and Iran's Law Enforcement Forces (LEF), as well as the head of Iran's Prisons Organization. Officials linked to Iran's Internet blockade and various media outlets are also among those sanctioned.
Canada, Australia, and other international partners are also joining in the imposition of sanctions against Iran in response to the events related to Mahsa Amini's death.
White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan indicated that the US plans to impose further sanctions in the coming days, targeting Iranian actions, including their supply of drones to Russia, which has raised concerns about military cooperation between Iran and Russia in the conflict in Ukraine.
Britain independently announced its own sanctions, which target senior Iranian decision-makers, including Iran's minister for culture and Islamic guidance, his deputy, the mayor of Tehran, and an Iranian police spokesman.
Canada, in its fourteenth round of sanctions against Iran since October of the previous year, has listed restrictions against six individuals, including members of the IRGC and the "Supreme Council for Cultural Revolution."
The European Union also expanded its sanctions against Iran, adding four Iranian officials to its blacklist over their involvement in the crackdown on demonstrators. The EU had previously imposed visa bans and asset freezes on numerous Iranian individuals, companies, and agencies due to their role in repression.
In a statement, the EU's 27 member nations reaffirmed their strong support for the fundamental rights of Iranians and their aspirations and expressed readiness to consider all appropriate options to address concerns related to Iran's actions.
As the one-year anniversary of Mahsa Amini's tragic death approaches, international pressure on Iran continues to mount, reflecting a collective commitment to hold Iran accountable for human rights violations and repression.