Malik Nasir Mahmood Aslam looks at increasing tensions
Iran is facing increased opposition from the Western world on account of the sustained public protests taking place against its clerical regime with the US, UK and EU imposing further sanctions against the country. Increase in sanctions reflects deterioration in the West’s already bitter relations with Tehran in recent months particularly in wake of Iran’s deadly clampdown on unrest after the death of young Iranian Kurdish woman Mahsa Amini in morality police custody in September. The public protests witnessed Iranians from all walks of life standing up to the ruling theocracy that reacted with such venom that provided the Western powers with the pretext to target Iran yet again with sanctions.
In the new set of sanctions America particularly targeted the powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and its senior officials imposing sanctions on the IRGC Cooperative Foundation and five of its board members, Deputy Minister of Intelligence and Security Naser Rashedi and four senior IRGC commanders in Iran. American officialdom mentioned that the action targets a key economic pillar of the IRGC, which funds much of the regime’s brutal suppression as well as senior security officials coordinating Tehran’s crackdown at the national and provincial levels. America has consistently accused the IRGC of continuing to aggressively crack down on peaceful demonstrations and said it has played a leading role in suppressing protests through extensive human rights abuses.
It is widely reported that the IRGC is exclusively mandated to protect the ruling clique and is described as a state within state having 125,000 strong military strength with army, navy and air units at its disposal and commands the dreaded Basij religious militia often used in crackdowns. The US described the IRGC Cooperative Foundation – already under U.S. sanctions – as an economic conglomerate established by senior officials of the group to manage its investments and presence in sectors of Iran’s economy. The American side accused the IRGC Cooperative Foundation of having become a wellspring of corruption and graft and said funds from it have supported the IRGC’s military adventures abroad. While increasing sanctions against Iran the US added that they will continue to hold the Iranian regime accountable so long as it relies upon violence, sham trials, the execution of protesters, and other means of suppressing its people.
Along with America, the European Union (EU) imposed sanctions on more than 30 Iranian officials and organizations, including units of the Revolutionary Guards, blaming them for brutal crackdown on protesters and other human rights abuses. Foreign ministers from the EU’s 27 member countries agreed on the measures and mentioned that the sanctions targeted units and senior officials of the IRGC across Iran, including in Sunni-populated areas where the state crackdown has been intense. The new sanctions were imposed on 18 people and 19 entities with those targeted cannot travel to the EU and any assets they hold inside the bloc can be frozen. Some EU governments and the European Parliament have made clear they want the IRGC as a whole added to the bloc’s list of terrorist organisations.
Britain also imposed sanctions on more Iranian individuals and entities over the country’s brutal repression of its people. The sanctions included an asset freeze on Iranian deputy prosecutor general Ahmad Fazelian, who the British foreign office said was responsible for an unfair judicial system that used the death penalty for political purposes. Others sanctioned by Britain include Kiyumars Heidari, commander in chief of Iran’s ground forces; Hossein Nejat, deputy commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the Basij Resistance Force and its deputy commander, Salar Abnoush. The Basij Cooperative Foundation, linked to the Basij militia, and Qasem Rezaei, deputy commander of Iran’s law enforcement forces, were also sanctioned. Britain has now imposed 50 new sanctions against Iran since Amini’s death.
It is reported that relations could deteriorate further if the Western world does list the Revolutionary Guards as a terror group though this step still divides the western diplomatic circles. There are reports that the Iranian authorities are worried about the IRGC being made focus of punitive actions and have warned that they would respond firmly and could place elements of the armies of European countries operating in the Middle East on their own terror list. Iran did the same against the United States, when its former president Donald Trump slapped the Guards with sanctions in 2019 though it made not a great deal of harm to them. Iranians are reported mulling over include Iran exiting the nuclear weapons Non-Proliferation Treaty and taking steps to restrict navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital gateway for international oil shipments.
Iran’s concerns are clear because it knows well that sanctions against IRGC will make it more difficult for the IRGC to use front companies and seek to exploit loopholes abroad. It is reported that Iran’s export of drones to Russia and their use by the Russians has aggravated Iranian perceptions in the western world. Another cause of worry is the evidence of these drones having many parts manufactured in Europe that were sent to Iran through complex networks of Iranian fronts. TW
Sanctions against Iran increased
ByMalik Nasir Mahmood Aslam
Seasoned social activist
Dated
January 28, 2023
Malik Nasir Mahmood Aslam looks at increasing tensions
Iran is facing increased opposition from the Western world on account of the sustained public protests taking place against its clerical regime with the US, UK and EU imposing further sanctions against the country. Increase in sanctions reflects deterioration in the West’s already bitter relations with Tehran in recent months particularly in wake of Iran’s deadly clampdown on unrest after the death of young Iranian Kurdish woman Mahsa Amini in morality police custody in September. The public protests witnessed Iranians from all walks of life standing up to the ruling theocracy that reacted with such venom that provided the Western powers with the pretext to target Iran yet again with sanctions.
In the new set of sanctions America particularly targeted the powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and its senior officials imposing sanctions on the IRGC Cooperative Foundation and five of its board members, Deputy Minister of Intelligence and Security Naser Rashedi and four senior IRGC commanders in Iran. American officialdom mentioned that the action targets a key economic pillar of the IRGC, which funds much of the regime’s brutal suppression as well as senior security officials coordinating Tehran’s crackdown at the national and provincial levels. America has consistently accused the IRGC of continuing to aggressively crack down on peaceful demonstrations and said it has played a leading role in suppressing protests through extensive human rights abuses.
It is widely reported that the IRGC is exclusively mandated to protect the ruling clique and is described as a state within state having 125,000 strong military strength with army, navy and air units at its disposal and commands the dreaded Basij religious militia often used in crackdowns. The US described the IRGC Cooperative Foundation – already under U.S. sanctions – as an economic conglomerate established by senior officials of the group to manage its investments and presence in sectors of Iran’s economy. The American side accused the IRGC Cooperative Foundation of having become a wellspring of corruption and graft and said funds from it have supported the IRGC’s military adventures abroad. While increasing sanctions against Iran the US added that they will continue to hold the Iranian regime accountable so long as it relies upon violence, sham trials, the execution of protesters, and other means of suppressing its people.
Along with America, the European Union (EU) imposed sanctions on more than 30 Iranian officials and organizations, including units of the Revolutionary Guards, blaming them for brutal crackdown on protesters and other human rights abuses. Foreign ministers from the EU’s 27 member countries agreed on the measures and mentioned that the sanctions targeted units and senior officials of the IRGC across Iran, including in Sunni-populated areas where the state crackdown has been intense. The new sanctions were imposed on 18 people and 19 entities with those targeted cannot travel to the EU and any assets they hold inside the bloc can be frozen. Some EU governments and the European Parliament have made clear they want the IRGC as a whole added to the bloc’s list of terrorist organisations.
Britain also imposed sanctions on more Iranian individuals and entities over the country’s brutal repression of its people. The sanctions included an asset freeze on Iranian deputy prosecutor general Ahmad Fazelian, who the British foreign office said was responsible for an unfair judicial system that used the death penalty for political purposes. Others sanctioned by Britain include Kiyumars Heidari, commander in chief of Iran’s ground forces; Hossein Nejat, deputy commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the Basij Resistance Force and its deputy commander, Salar Abnoush. The Basij Cooperative Foundation, linked to the Basij militia, and Qasem Rezaei, deputy commander of Iran’s law enforcement forces, were also sanctioned. Britain has now imposed 50 new sanctions against Iran since Amini’s death.
It is reported that relations could deteriorate further if the Western world does list the Revolutionary Guards as a terror group though this step still divides the western diplomatic circles. There are reports that the Iranian authorities are worried about the IRGC being made focus of punitive actions and have warned that they would respond firmly and could place elements of the armies of European countries operating in the Middle East on their own terror list. Iran did the same against the United States, when its former president Donald Trump slapped the Guards with sanctions in 2019 though it made not a great deal of harm to them. Iranians are reported mulling over include Iran exiting the nuclear weapons Non-Proliferation Treaty and taking steps to restrict navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital gateway for international oil shipments.
Iran’s concerns are clear because it knows well that sanctions against IRGC will make it more difficult for the IRGC to use front companies and seek to exploit loopholes abroad. It is reported that Iran’s export of drones to Russia and their use by the Russians has aggravated Iranian perceptions in the western world. Another cause of worry is the evidence of these drones having many parts manufactured in Europe that were sent to Iran through complex networks of Iranian fronts. TW
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