Secretary Bessent's Announcement of Sanctions Against Iran's Crackdown on Peaceful Protests
WASHINGTON—In a bold move, Secretary Bessent has announced sanctions against the architects of Iran's brutal crackdown on peaceful protesters. As the Iranian people bravely demand basic freedoms and economic security, the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is taking decisive action. The focus is on the shadow banking networks enabling the elite to steal and launder revenue from the country's natural resources, rather than benefiting the Iranian people who are facing economic calamity.
Secretary Bessent emphasized, "The United States stands firmly behind the Iranian people in their call for freedom and justice." These sanctions target key Iranian leaders involved in the brutal crackdown, including Ali Larijani, the Secretary of the Supreme Council for National Security (SCNS). Larijani was one of the first to call for violence in response to the Iranian people's legitimate demands.
OFAC is also designating 18 individuals and entities involved in laundering the proceeds of Iranian petroleum and petrochemical sales to foreign markets. These entities are part of the clandestine "shadow banking" networks of sanctioned Iranian financial institutions, Bank Melli and Shahr Bank. The funds, instead of benefiting the Iranian people, are used to finance the regime's repression and support for terrorist groups abroad.
These actions are in line with Executive Orders 13553, 13876, and 13902, which authorize sanctions on individuals and entities involved in serious human rights abuses and economic mismanagement. The sanctions also target officials responsible for the violence against protesters, such as Mohammad Reza Hashemifar and Azizollah Maleki, who oversee the Law Enforcement Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Lorestan and Fars provinces, respectively.
The sanctions have significant implications, blocking all property and interests in property of the designated or blocked persons in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons. Any entities owned, directly or indirectly, by blocked persons are also blocked. Violations of U.S. sanctions may result in civil or criminal penalties. OFAC's sanctions aim to bring about positive change in behavior, not punishment. For more information on the designated persons and blocked property, visit the OFAC website.
