The United States has imposed new sanctions targeting political and security officials over its crackdown on anti-government protesters, as President Donald Trump threatens to intervene militarily in Iran.
The United States on Thursday targeted Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme Security Council (SNSC), and several other officials, saying they were the “architects” of Tehran’s “brutal” response to the protests.
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“The United States stands firmly with the Iranian people in their quest for freedom and justice,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a statement.
“At President Trump’s direction, the Treasury Department is sanctioning key Iranian leaders responsible for the brutal crackdown on the Iranian people. Treasury will use every tool at its disposal to target those behind the regime’s tyrannical human rights crackdown.”
The sanctions freeze an individual’s assets in the United States and make it illegal for American citizens to do business with that individual.
The move is largely symbolic as Iran is already under tough sanctions, but it signals increased U.S. pressure on Iran amid the protests. Larijani is a close ally of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei.
Earlier this week, when President Trump called on Iranians to “take over” public institutions and “save the names of their murderers and abusers,” Larijani quickly responded, accusing Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of killing Iranians.
“We declare the names of the main culprits who killed the Iranian people: 1-Trump 2-Netanyahu,” he wrote to X.
Thousands of protesters are believed to have been killed in the wave of demonstrations that have gripped Iran since the beginning of the year, according to activist groups.
The Iranian government described the protesters as armed mobs incited by the United States and Israel to spread chaos, and said more than 100 security personnel had been killed in armed attacks during the demonstrations.
Al Jazeera is unable to independently verify these figures.
Authorities have also imposed an internet blackout in the country, making it difficult to verify the death toll and both sides’ claims.
On Tuesday, Israel’s Channel 14, an ally of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, reported that “foreign actors” were arming Iranian protesters to target government officials.
A U.S. attack on Iran appeared imminent late Wednesday after President Trump escalated his rhetoric for several days.
Iran has closed its airspace. Several Israeli towns have opened air raid shelters. And the US withdrew some personnel from the region.
Iran had threatened a harsh response to any U.S. attack.
But as the world held its breath in anticipation of the bombing, President Trump softened his stance, saying he had heard that the killings of protesters had stopped.
“They are [Iranian officials] “People were firing guns at them and they were shooting back,” Trump said, “and you know, that’s one thing, but they told me there would be no executions, so I hope that’s true.”
He reiterated that message Thursday, saying it was “good news” that Iran would not execute protesters.
In June, Israel attacked Iran without provocation, killing dozens of military officials and nuclear scientists, as well as hundreds of civilians.
President Trump said he was “largely responsible” for Israel’s onslaught, which culminated in the U.S. bombing Iran’s main nuclear facilities before a ceasefire could be reached.
Before protests erupted in Iran, President Trump last hosted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Florida, where he threatened to bomb Iran again if it rebuilds its nuclear and missile programs.
The United States has also tightened economic sanctions against Iran, aimed at blocking Iranian oil sales.
The U.S. Treasury Department on Thursday announced new actions against 18 companies and individuals for their involvement in Iranian energy exports.
