US sanctions 7 Iranian officials over violent crackdown on protests after Mahsa Amini's death

Washington: The United States on Thursday imposed sanctions against seven senior Iranian officials for their alleged role in violently suppressing protests that erupted after the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in the custody of morality police, reported AFP. The Iranian officials who have been sanctioned by the US include Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi, Communications Minister Eisa Zarepour, and five senior security officials.

As per the US Treasury, these officials were sanctioned for the shutdown of Iran's internet access and the continued violence against peaceful protesters. "The rights to freedom of expression and of peaceful assembly are vital to guaranteeing individual liberty and dignity," Treasury Under Secretary of the Treasury Brian Nelson said as quoted by the news agency.

Also Read: Iran curbs internet access as protests claim 11 lives.

The five security officials sanctioned by Washington were - Yadollah Javani, the deputy political commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps; Vahid Mohammad Naser Majid, the head of the Iranian Cyber Police; Hossein Sajedinia, the deputy operations commander of Iranian law enforcement forces; Hossein Nejat, an IRGC commander; Hossein Rahimi, who oversees much of the morality police's hijab enforcement in Tehran.

The US also imposed sanctions against Iran's morality police on September 22. Amini was arrested by the morality police on September 13 for not wearing her hijab properly as some of her hair was reportedly visible under her headscarf.

The 22-year-old collapsed after detention and went into a coma. She died three days after her arrest. Violent protests erupted across the South Asian country after Amini's death. According to reports, over 90 people were killed as Iran cracked down on women-led protests.