U.S. Slaps Fresh Iran-Related Sanctions, Targets Khamenei-Linked Foundation

ICBPS- The U.S. Treasury Department announced fresh U.S. sanctions on Iran, targeting vast Supreme Leader Patronage Network and Iran’s Minister of Intelligence.

The Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) on Wednesday announced a sweeping fresh sanctions package on Iran targeting a foundation controlled by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Washington also accused the Islamic officials of human rights abuses in Iran a year after a deadly crackdown on anti-government demonstrators, also known as “Bloody Aban”.

“The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) took action today against a key patronage network for the Supreme Leader of Iran, the Islamic Revolution Mostazafan Foundation (Bonyad Mostazafan, or the Foundation), an immense conglomerate of some 160 holdings in key sectors of Iran’s economy, including finance, energy, construction, and mining. While Bonyad Mostazafan is ostensibly a charitable organization charged with providing benefits to the poor and oppressed, its holdings are expropriated from the Iranian people and are used by the Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei to enrich his office, reward his political allies, and persecute the regime’s enemies.”

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OFAC is also designating Iran’s Minister of Intelligence and Security, Mahmoud Alavi, pursuant to human rights authorities. Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS) has played a central role in the Iranian regime’s human rights abuses against Iranian citizens, including during the November 2019 protests.

“Iran’s Supreme Leader uses Bonyad Mostazafan to reward his allies under the pretense of charity,” said Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin. “The United States will continue to target key officials and revenue generating sources that enable the regime’s ongoing repression of its own people,” according to OFAC.

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On November 15, the ICBPS reported that an international People’s Tribunal, the Aban Tribunal, to investigate the “atrocities” and “human rights violations” by the Islamic Republic of Iran that took place during the nationwide 2019 Iran Protests. 

The London-based human rights NGO, Justice For Iran on November 14 announced the establishment of a ‘people’s tribunal’ to investigate “atrocities” and “human rights violations by the Islamic Republic of Iran” during November 2019 Iran protests that left thousands dead, injured, and detainees.

“An international People’s Tribunal, the Aban Tribunal, to investigate atrocities that took place in Iran exactly one year ago has been established as an initiative of Justice for Iran, Iran Human Rights and the world coalition Ensemble Contre la Peine de Mort (ECPM) on behalf of victims’ families and protestors,” according to the NGO. U.S. sanctions on Iran

“The Tribunal provides a mandate to a group of renowned international lawyers on behalf of the victims’ community and the public to investigate human rights violations by Iran during a wave of national protests in November 2019, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of unarmed protestors. After hearing evidence and deliberation, the panel will determine whether crimes under international law have been committed by Iranian state forces and paramilitaries during the protests.” U.S. sanctions on IranU.S. sanctions on Iran

The nationwide Iran Protests took place in various cities throughout the country beginning in Mashhad, the holiest Shiite city in northeastern Iran, on December 28 and continued into 2018, protesters chanted “Our enemy is right here, they lie that it’s the USA”.