UK imposes sanctions on security officials, morality police in Iran

By Gokhan Ergocun

ISTANBUL (AA) - The UK has imposed sanctions on senior security figures and morality policy in Iran in the wake of the death of a 22-year-old woman in police custody, a government statement said.

Mahsa Amini died on Sept. 16 under mysterious circumstances after being detained by the morality police in the capital Tehran for allegedly violating the country’s dress code.

“In response, the UK has today sanctioned the Morality Police in its entirety, as well as both its chief Mohammed Rostami Cheshmeh Gachi and the Head of the Tehran Division Haj Ahmed Mirzaei,” the UK government statement said.

It said the government also imposed sanctions on Gholamreza Soleimani, head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Basij force, Hassan Karami, commander of the NAJA Special Forces Unit of the Iranian police, and Hossein Ashtari, commander-in-chief of the Iranian police.

“The Basij force, NAJA Special Forces Unit and the wider Iranian police have played a central role in the crackdown on protests across Iran in recent weeks, as well as the fuel-related protests in 2019,” the statement said.

The sanctions will ensure that the individuals on the list cannot travel to the UK and any of their assets held in “the UK, or by UK persons anywhere,” will be frozen, it added.

James Cleverly, the UK’s foreign secretary, said: "These sanctions send a clear message to the Iranian authorities – we will hold you to account for your repression of women and girls and for the shocking violence you have inflicted on your own people."