New U.S. sanctions loom for figures linked to Iran and Syria

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of the Treasury announced new sanctions against 15 individuals and four entities in Iran, Syria, and Uganda, including Basij paramilitary force commander Gholamreza Soleimani.

“The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is designating 15 actors across three countries in connection with serious human rights abuse and repressive acts targeting innocent civilians, political opponents, and peaceful protestors.,” the Treasury Department said in a statement released on its website.

“Ahead of this week’s Summit for Democracy, Treasury is targeting over a dozen government officials across three countries in connection with serious human rights abuse that undermines democracy,” said Director of the Office of Foreign Assets Control Andrea M. Gacki. “Treasury will continue to defend against authoritarianism, promoting accountability for violent repression of people seeking to exercise their human rights and fundamental freedoms.” 

The EU announced in April that it had imposed sanctions on eight Basij leaders, including Soleimani, Iranian police, and three prisons for a deadly crackdown carried out by Iranian authorities against protesting civilians in November 2019.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Justice announced Wednesday the seizure of two Iranian arms shipments in the Arabian Sea.

The department revealed that the confiscated weapons include 171 surface-to-air missiles and eight anti-armor missiles. The weapons were intended to be delivered to Houthi forces in Yemen.

The U.S. Navy confiscated the weapons from two ships in the Arabian Sea while conducting routine naval security operations.