The UK, US and EU are today announcing further sanctions on
Iranian regime officials responsible for human rights violations,
including from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
The UK has designated more
than 70 Iranian officials and entities for human rights
violations since October 2022, with the total number of
Iran-related designations amounting to more than 300. The list
includes the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in its entirety,
the Iranian Prosecutor General and the Morality Police.
The UK, US and EU have taken consistent and coordinated action to
hold the regime to account, announcing sanctions on a monthly
basis on those responsible for human rights abuses. The latest UK
sanctions are against four IRGC Commanders, under whose
leadership IRGC forces have opened fire on unarmed protestors
resulting in numerous deaths, including of children, and have
arbitrarily detained and tortured protestors.
Foreign Secretary said:
“The Iranian regime are responsible for the brutal repression
of the Iranian people and for exporting bloodshed around the
world. That’s why we have more than 300 sanctions in place on
Iran, including on the IRGC in its
entirety.
“The UK and our international partners are again making clear
today that we will not overlook the regime’s brutal oppression.
We will continue to take a range of action to hold the regime to
account for its actions.”
Those sanctioned include:
-
Mohammad Nazar Azimi- IRGC Commander Najaf
Ashraf West HQ, responsible for the violent repression of
protests in Kermanshah Province, with IRGC forces using machine
guns against unarmed protestors resulting in multiple
deaths.
-
Habib Shahsavari- IRGC Commander provincial
corps West Azerbaijan Province, responsible for repression of
protestors in Mahabad and Piranshahr, with IRGC forces using
heavy weapons that resulted in multiple deaths. IRGC forces are
accused of the death of protestors following torture in
detention facilities.
-
Mohsen Karimi- IRGC commander Markazi
Province, responsible for the violent repression of protests,
including 19 year old protestor Mehrshad Shahidi who was
reportedly beaten to death in an IRGC detention centre,
and the arrest of women for failing to wear the hijab
(head covering) in public.
-
Ahmad Kadem- IRGC Commander of the Operational
Base Karbala, responsible for the repression of protests in the
town of Izeh, Khuzestan Province, during which a 10-year old
child was shot and killed. IRGC forces under the command of
Kadem in Kohgilyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Province are blamed for
the abduction of a child labour activist who subsequently died
after torture.
The UK has also played a leading role in international efforts to
hold the Iranian regime to account for its repression, for
example through working with partners to kick Iran off the UN
Commission on the Status of Women and to establish a UN-led
investigation into the response to the protests.
These sanctions will ensure that the individuals on the list
cannot travel to the UK and any of their assets held in the UK
will be frozen.
