US joins UK, EU in slapping more sanctions on top Iranian officials

The Biden administration announces that, concurrently with the United Kingdom and the European Union, it has slapped sanctions against another 10 Iranian officials and an entity connected to the suppression of the ongoing anti-regime protests throughout the Islamic Republic.

The US Treasury Department is designating Iran’s Deputy Intelligence Minister Naser Rashedi, along with Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps commanders Hossein Tanavar, Mohammad Nazar Azimi, Kourosh Asiabani and Mojtaba Fada.

“Azimi and Asiabani command IRGC units that have allegedly committed some of the worst acts by Iranian security forces since the beginning of protests in September 2022,” the Treasury Department says, adding that they led forces who used live fire to kill and wound dozens of protesters.

The Biden administration has announced numerous sanctions against Iranian officials in recent months as negotiations to revive the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action nuclear deal have fallen apart.

It is unclear how impactful such moves are at this point, given that Iran’s economy has long been shut out from American investments and Tehran has been working to expand financial ties with non-Western countries and entities in order to compensate.