Iran Blacklists Americans for Terrorism, Human Rights Violation

In a statement released on Saturday, Iran’s Foreign Ministry added nine new American officials to the list of people sanctioned for terrorism-related activities and updated the list of people designated for human rights violations with 15 new names.

What follows is text of the statement, released by the ministry’s website:

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran, in conformity with the “Act on Countering Violations of Human Rights and Adventurist and Terrorist Actions of the United States of America in the Region”, particularly, Articles 4 and 5, identifies and imposes sanctions as set forth in the abovementioned Act on the following persons in connection with their involvement in terrorist acts, glorification and supporting terrorism and gross violations of human rights.

The designated persons, as indicated, have played role in supporting, organizing, imposing and also intensifying the imposition of the United States’ Unilateral Coercive Measures against the people and government of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also in financing and supporting terrorist groups and terrorist acts against the latter and in supporting repressive acts of the Zionist regime of Israel in the region, in particular, against the Palestinian people.

The Unilateral Coercive Measures imposed against the people and government of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States’ deliberate infliction of hard conditions of life on the Iranian people including by deprivation of access to medicine and medical equipment and services, especially, in the situation caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and by depriving them of their fundamental rights has endangered lives of millions of Iranians and has had serious negative impacts on enjoyment of their economic and social rights.

Such unlawful measures constitute flagrant violations of the fundamental principles of international law and fundamental human rights and are a clear example of crime against humanity. In addition, supporting, organizing and conducting terrorist acts as well as organizing, financing and providing material support including weapon, intelligence and training to terrorist groups are in violation of international law and contravene international obligations undertaken in fighting terrorism.

The United States by conducting such unlawful acts which have been carried out, facilitated or operationalized by the following persons, has breached its international obligations in respecting, protecting and fulfilling human rights and in desisting and refraining from organizing terrorist acts and financing terrorism as well as the obligation to refrain from applying Unilateral Coercive Measures which as internationally wrongful acts entail the international reasonability of the United States.

In view of the above, the Islamic Republic of Iran in conformity with its human rights obligations and obligations in combating terrorism and countering terrorism financing, in particular, terrorism perpetrated by the United States, imposes the sanctions on the said persons.

The Islamic Republic of Iran reiterates that the promulgations and application of Unilateral Coercive Measures is a stark violation of the fundamental principles of international law set forth in the Charter of the United Nations and a blatant transgression of international law and impede enjoyment of human rights. Accordingly, and taking into account the internationally wrongful acts of the United States, the sanctions delineated in the Act are imposed in compliance with the obligations of the Islamic republic of Iran in countering Unilateral Coercive Measures and on a reciprocal basis.

In the light of the above and considering the provisions of the “Act on Countering Violations of Human Rights and Adventurist and Terrorist Actions of the United States of America in the Region”, all relevant national authorities will take appropriate measures for effective implementation of the sanctions stipulated in the Act.