Names of 13 Iranians recently affected by US visa restrictions released
The US State Department has published the names of Iranians who were recently subject to visa restrictions and who, according to Washington, have helped the "most significant state sponsor of terrorism" in human rights violations.
In a statement on September 25, the ministry emphasized that its actions are in line with laws that allow the Secretary of State to deny entry to individuals and immediate family members of those it believes, based on credible evidence, are "involved in human rights violations."
These individuals are: Sadegh Babaei, Alireza Bayani Hamedani, Saeed Danesh, Ali Hadavi, Saeed Hemmati, Mohammad Reza Jazayeri, Mohsen Sharif Esfahani, Ali Moslehi-Iraqi, Nasser Pourmirzaei, Mohsen Pourshafiei, Mohammad Saeed Rezvani, Mahmoud Sajjadian, Yadollah Samadi.
According to the statement, these individuals committed terrorist acts in Switzerland in 1990.
In April 1990 (spring 1369), Kazem Rajavi, brother of Massoud Rajavi, leader of the People's Mojahedin Organization, was assassinated in Switzerland.
Another individual named is Syrian Hojatollah Khodayi, who the US State Department says oversaw “torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment” of prisoners and detainees as director of Evin Prison.
Khodayi Souri had previously been subject to European Union sanctions, and his name was mentioned in the initial US State Department statement.
Visa restrictions were imposed on 14 Iranians on August 20, but at the time, the US State Department did not name the 13 individuals involved in the Swiss incident, only saying that they were present in Switzerland as diplomats.
The US State Department said that these 13 people, "who posed as diplomats, were acting on orders from the highest levels of their government (the Islamic Republic) to silence the opposition and demonstrate that no one is safe from the Iranian government, no matter where they live."
The Islamic Republic has yet to respond to these restrictions or name the individuals. Tehran has denied the accusation of supporting terrorism.
Source: Radio Farda
