Biden Administration’s First Sanctions Against Iran; Two IRGC Interrogators Sanctioned

The Joe Biden administration has sanctioned two interrogators from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) for the first time. It has been stated that these two individuals “participated in the torture of prisoners in Iran.” These two IRGC members and their families are barred from entry into the United States.

The Joe Biden administration has implemented its first sanctions against the Islamic Republic of Iran. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced on Tuesday, March 9 (March 19 in the Iranian calendar) that two members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps will be denied entry into the United States due to human rights violations.

According to the U.S. State Department announcement, these two individuals named Ali Hamtian and Masoud Safadari torture prisoners in Iranian prisons. The U.S. Secretary of State emphasized that the American government is using all appropriate tools to hold accountable those responsible for persecution and human rights violations in Iran.

Blinken also stated that the United States wants “the Iranian government to treat its people with respect and dignity befitting human beings.”

The U.S. Department of State announced that Ali Hamtian and Masoud Safadari and their close relatives will no longer be permitted to travel to America. These two individuals are accused of participating in the torture of political prisoners and detainees from the December 2017 protests and the November 2019 protests.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of Iran has been on the U.S. government’s list of terrorist organizations since April 2019.

Source: DW