Iran Dismisses European Sanctions, Accuses Europe Of Violence

The US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), in coordination with the Federal Bureau of investigations (FBI) targeted a network in Iran and Turkey for involvement in the procurement of equipment, including European-origin engines for drones on behalf of Iran’s defense ministry and Armed Forces Logistics (MODAFL), which is already designated by the US.

Iran has been supplying hundreds of its Shahed kamikaze drones (UAVs) to Russia that have been used since October to target Ukraine’s military and civilian infrastructure. The United States and its European allies have warned Tehran to cease its military support to Russia, as they provide air defense and other weapons to Ukraine to defend itself against massive Russian bombardments.

Although the Treasury’s announcement did not mention Russia, but Western officials have repeatedly noted Iran’s drone supplies and have warned that Tehran is also contemplating to provide missiles to Moscow.

“Iran’s well-documented proliferation of UAVs and conventional weapons to its proxies continues to undermine both regional security and global stability,” Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian E. Nelson said. “The United States will continue to expose foreign procurement networks in any jurisdiction that supports Iran’s military industrial complex.”

The US has intensified targeted sanctions against companies and individuals since September, when 18 months of nuclear negotiations with Iran ended in impasse. At the same time, nationwide antigovernment protests erupted in Iran followed by deadly crackdowns that killed around 500 civilians. Third, came the use of the kamikaze drones by Russia, which ended any immediate hope of more talks over the nuclear issue.

The Treasury noted that just over a week earlier it had designated a China-based network in connection with Iran’s UAV procurement efforts.

Parts of Iranian drones shot down in Ukraine show that they included hundreds of American and other Western-made parts.

In January, Canada’s Bombardier Recreational Products (BRP) submitted a report to the government on its engines ending up in Iranian-made drones used by Russia. The drones used the company’ Rotax-912 engines.

Bombardier ended supplies of the engines to Iran in 2019, although the Mahtabal company in Tehran still markets itself as official representative for Rotax engines. The date – 2019 – suggests this was a response to the United States 2018 introduction of ‘maximum pressure’ sanctions that threatened punitive action against third parties dealing with Iran.

There were reports that some engines might have been provided by a Bombardier subsidiary in Austria.

Tuesday’s Treasury action designated Defense Technology and Science Research Center in Iran, a subsidiary of MODAFL, and its commercial manager and procurement agent Amanallah Paidar. It also designated a Turkish individual and an entity for assisting Paidar and MODAFL.

Another individual in Iran named Asghar Mahmoudi was also sanctioned for assisting Paidar for facilitating supply of items, including marine electronics.

US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden hosted a ceremony at the White House for the occasion on Monday and issued a statement that acknowledged Iranians' revolt for freedom. 

“This year, Nowruz comes at a difficult time for many families, when hope is needed more than ever—including for the women of Iran who are fighting for their human rights and fundamental freedoms,” the Bidens said, vowing that Washington would “stand with them, and all the citizens of Iran who are inspiring the world with their conviction and courage.”

“And together with our partners, we will continue to hold Iranian officials accountable for their attacks against their people,” the statement added. President Biden said, “It’s the start of a new year that reminds us of the hope that lies ahead – even in the darkest of times.”

Secretary Of State Antony J. Blinken also decried the “brutal crackdown at the hands of the Islamic Republic," noting that “Many families face an empty chair at their Nowruz table this year, as friends and family members have been killed or detained by Iranian authorities.”

Member of the European Parliament Charlie Weimers, who has been very active to garner European leaders’ support for the protests in Iran, issued a video message wishing that “light truly overcomes darkness,” in reference to popular movement against the Islamic Republic. 

Exactly at 54 minutes, 28 seconds past midnight Tehran time on March 21, the ancient Nowruz festivities began, but this year many families are bitter over the loss of a loved one or distressed by the imprisonment of a relative. Immediately after the turn of the year, many Iranians chanted slogans against the regime and its leaders with activists and celebrities releasing Nowruz messages that wished for an end to the Islamic Republic this year. 

Many Iranians put pictures of those killed during the anti-regime protests and colored eggs with “Woman, Life, Freedom” slogan in their “Haft-Seen” tables. According to videos on social media, people held gatherings to keep the flame of protests burning in many cities, including Kurdish-majority city of Sanandaj, Mahabad, Bukan and Piranshahr in West Azarbaijan province, and Saqqez, the hometown of Mahsa “Jina” Amini, whose death in police custody ignited the nationwide rallies. 

Prominent dissident figures, such as exiled prince Reza Pahlavi, Nobel Laureate Shirin Ebadi, Sunni leader Mowlavi Abdolhamid and footballer-turned-activist Ali Karimi as well as Canada-based activist Hamed Esmaeilion also talked about the political upheaval in the country, reiterating their demands for justice and calls for regime change. 

"I congratulate the proud nation of Iran on the arrival of the new year. I hope that in the new year, poverty, injustice and discrimination will disappear from the country, political prisoners will be released and the noble nation of Iran will regain its rightful place in the world and achieve its rightful demands,” Abdolhamid tweeted. 

In his video message addressed to the people of Iran, Pahlavi said, "In this year, you created an epic in the name of women, in the name of life and in the name of freedom against one of the most oppressive regimes in history... you made the world admire your courage and greatness.”

Several human rights groups, including Amnesty International, echoed the sentiment, issuing messages in honor of those who were killed or arrested during their fights against the violations by the Islamic Republic. 

The European Council in a statement on Monday announced that Ahmad Alamolhoda, the Friday imam of Mashhad and representative of Khorasan Razavi province in the Assembly of Experts is included in the list.

According to the Council, the firebrand cleric in his speeches has participated in the propagation of hate against women, demonstrators and religious minorities; therefore, he is responsible for serious human rights violations in Iran.

It also sanctioned three members of the judiciary responsible for handing down death sentences in unfair trials and for the torturing of convicts.

The member of the Iranian parliament and its spokesman for the cultural commission Ahmad Rastineh, the spokesman of the EU-listed Headquarters for Enjoining Right and Forbidding Evil Ali Khan Mohammadi, the Supreme Council of Cultural Revolution, a body which promoted several projects undermining the freedom of girls and women and discriminating minorities are among the people and bodies targeted.

So far 204 individuals and 34 Iranian entities have been sanctioned by the bloc. They consist of an asset freeze, a travel ban to the EU and a prohibition to make funds or economic resources available to those listed.

Alamolhoda, who is the father-in-law of President Ebrahim Raisi, is known for his ultraconservative statements, especially the one on December 30, 2009, where he was quoted as calling opponents of the Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei as party of Satan.

"In particular, the Council is sanctioning members of the judiciary responsible for handing down death sentences in unfair trials, and for the torturing of convicts," the EU said in a statement.

Iranian security forces have killed around 500 civilians, injured thousands and arrested 22,000 since September when antigovernment protests began in reaction to the killing of Mahsa Amini in 'hijab police' custody.

In total, EU sanctions now apply to 204 individuals and 34 entities in Iran. Monday's decision heralded the sixth round of sanctions.

"We want to make clear that nobody is above the law, which is why we will impose a sixth package of sanctions here in Brussels," German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock had told reporters earlier in the day.

Britain for its part said it had sanctioned senior officials from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), including those who it said were responsible for managing the group's financial investments.

Iran has also been supplying killer drones to Russia that have been used by hundreds against infrastructe in Ukraine. The United States and the EU have warned Tehran against expanding military ties with Moscow.

The sanctions were imposed for what Britain said were actions contributing to the serious violation of human rights in Iran.

The UK sanctioned five members of the Board of Directors of the IRGC Co-operative Foundation, an economic conglomerate established by senior IRGC officials to manage the group’s investments in the Iranian economy.

Established initially to support IRGC service members, the Foundation has broadened out its remit to funding the IRGC’s repressive activities in Iran and abroad, a statement by the government said.

“The Foundation is also responsible for funding militant groups associated with the IRGC’s external operations arm, the IRGC-Quds Force. The Quds force is responsible for carrying out lethal activities outside of Iran by, for example, providing training, funding and weapons to groups such as Hezbollah and Hamas,” according the Foreign Office.

“Today we are taking action on the senior leaders within the IRGC who are responsible for funnelling money into the regime’s brutal repression. Together with our partners around the world, we will continue to stand with the Iranian people as they call for fundamental change in Iran,” Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said.

The UK also imposed sanctions on further IRGC provincial commanders for their roles in overseeing human right violations against protestors. Designations include Ahmed Zulqadr, Commander of the IRGC Seyyed al-Shohada provincial corps in Tehran province and Deputy Commander of IRGC corps in Tehran City, and Alireza Heydarnia, Commander of the IRGC for the Alborz Province.