Iran: US plans sanctions for violence against protesters
Sources say announcement timed to one-year anniversary of fuel price protest crackdown
Washington: The United States is expected to impose sanctions as early as next week on Iranians involved in a violent crackdown against anti-government demonstrations in Iran a year ago, three sources familiar with the matter said on Monday.
The sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the sanctions announcement was timed to the one-year anniversary of the crackdown.
One source said next week’s designations would be a major action covering multiple individuals as well as several dozen Iranian entities.
Neither the State Department nor the Iranian mission to the United Nations immediately responded to a request for comment on the sanctions likely to be imposed next week.
Citing three Iranian Interior Ministry officials, Reuters previously reported about 1,500 people were killed during less than two weeks of unrest that started on November 15, 2019. The toll included at least 17 teenagers and about 400 women as well as members of the Iranian security forces and police.
Iran’s Interior Ministry has said around 225 people were killed during the protests, which erupted after state media announced that petrol prices would rise by as much as 200 per cent and the revenue would be used to help needy families.