EU sanctions Iran interior minister, IRGC chief, state TV over protest crackdown

The European Union placed on Monday additional sanctions on Iran, targeting 29 individuals and three organizations, including the interior minister, the chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) and Iranian state television Press TV, in response to the crackdown on protests over the death of Mahsa Amini.

“The EU strongly condemns the unacceptable violent crackdown of protesters. We stand with the Iranian people and support their right to protest peacefully and voice their demands and views freely. We are today imposing additional sanctions on those responsible for the suppression of the Iranian protestors,” EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said.

Mass protests have swept Iran since September 16 when Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman died in the morality police’s custody.

Iranians have gathered across the country to take part in demonstrations that called for the downfall of the regime.

The regime responded with a violent crackdown on protesters, with dozens killed in clashes with the security forces and thousands arrested.

The EU sanctioned: the four members of “the squad that arbitrarily arrested Mahsa Amini,” provincial heads of the Iranian Law Enforcement Forces (LEF) and of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), as well as Brigadier General Kiyumars Heidari, the Commander of the Iranian Army’s Ground Forces, for their role in the “brutal repression of the recent protests.”

The latest EU sanctions also designated Iranian state television broadcaster Press TV for being “responsible for producing and broadcasting the forced confessions of detainees.”

The EU also listed Vahid Mohammad Naser Majid, the head of the Iranian Cyber Police for his responsibility in “arbitrarily arresting people for expressing online criticism of the Iranian regime.”

The EU also designated Iran’s Minister of Interior, Ahmad Vahidi, who is in charge of the Law Enforcement Forces (LEF), “which have committed serious human rights violations.”

The sanctions include a travel ban, an asset freeze and forbidding EU citizens and companies from making funds available to the listed individuals and entities.