US issues sanctions against Iranian officials in response to assassination plots

The United States has implemented sanctions against several individuals who are members of or associated with the Iranian military who have been involved in “a series of terrorist plots.” 

The Treasury Department said in a release Thursday that it is targeting three individuals and a company affiliated with the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Qods Force and two senior officials for the IRGC’s Intelligence Organization. 

The release states that the individuals have been involved in assassination plots against former U.S. government officials, dual U.S. and Iranian nationals and Iranian dissidents. 

“The United States remains focused on disrupting plots by the IRGC and its Qods Force, both of which have engaged in numerous assassination attempts and other acts of violence and intimidation against those they deem enemies of the Iranian regime,” Brian Nelson, under secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, said in the release. 

The release notes that the Treasury Department has previously addressed terrorist plots from the IRGC’s Qods Force and Intelligence Organization, including an October 2011 designation of top officials involved in planning to assassinate the Saudi Arabian ambassador to the U.S. and the December 2020 designation of an individual involved in plans to carry out operations in the Middle East and United States. 

The department also sanctioned Iranian intelligence agents in September 2021 who targeted a U.S. citizen and Iranian dissidents in other countries. 

The release states Mohammad Reza Ansari, one sanctioned official who is a long-term member of the Qods Force, is also a member of a unit that undertakes operations against Iranian dissidents and non-Iranian nationals in other countries. Ansari and Iranian national Shahram Poursafi planned and tried to assassinate two former U.S. officials. 

Hossein Hafez Amini, a dual Iranian-Turkish national, has used his Turkey-based airline to help the Qods Force’s operations, including kidnapping and assassination schemes, according to the release. 

Former IRGC Intelligence Organization counterespionage official Rouhallah Bazghandi has been involved in overseeing plans to assassinate journalists and Israeli nationals in Istanbul, while Foreign Intelligence Chief Reza Seraj has been involved in failed operations in Asia and operations targeting U.S. citizens.