The United States on Thursday unveiled a new round of sanctions targeting five senior Iranian officials accused of directing and enforcing a violent crackdown on nationwide anti-government protests that human rights groups say have left more than 2,600 people dead. Alongside the sanctions, Washington said it has begun monitoring and tracing suspected financial transfers by Iranian leaders to overseas banks, signalling an escalation in pressure on Tehran as unrest continues across the country.
According to the US Treasury Department, the sanctions apply to the secretary of Iran’s Supreme Council for National Security, senior commanders of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and key law enforcement officials identified as playing central roles in suppressing protests and dissent.
The US also imposed sanctions on Fardis Prison after reports from the State Department alleged that detained women there were subjected to what it described as “cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment” while in custody.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent issued a sharply worded video message aimed directly at Iran’s leadership, accusing officials of siphoning off wealth while ordinary Iranians suffer. He claimed that senior figures were moving funds out of the country in anticipation of further instability.
“Like rats on a sinking ship, you are frantically wiring money stolen from Iranian families to banks and financial institutions around the world,” Bessent said, adding that US authorities were actively tracking such transfers and would continue to do so.
Bessent urged Iran’s leaders to immediately halt the violence and align themselves with the Iranian people, warning that additional punitive measures could follow if the crackdown does not stop.
Iran’s mission to the United Nations did not issue an immediate response to the new sanctions. Iranian officials have consistently blamed the unrest on foreign interference, accusing the United States and Israel of fomenting instability and encouraging protests.
President Masoud Pezeshkian said his administration was attempting to address the economic grievances that initially sparked the demonstrations, including corruption, inflation, and currency volatility, which he acknowledged had hit lower-income citizens the hardest.
The protests began after sharp price hikes and quickly broadened into nationwide calls for political change, representing one of the most serious challenges to Iran’s clerical leadership since the 1979 revolution.
Human rights organisations, including HRANA, have reported that more than 2,400 protesters and over 150 government-affiliated personnel have been killed since the unrest began.
US President Donald Trump has repeatedly voiced support for the demonstrators and issued warnings to Tehran. In a social media post, he said he had cancelled all meetings with Iranian officials until what he called the “senseless killing of protesters” stopped, adding that “help is on its way.”
The White House said all options remain under consideration, including diplomatic and military responses, though Trump also indicated caution, stating that Washington would closely observe how the situation develops.
Iranian authorities have denied plans to execute detained protesters. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said executions were “out of the question,” even as Iran’s judiciary announced plans to fast-track cases against those arrested during the unrest.
Judiciary Chief Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejei argued that delays in legal action would undermine deterrence, underscoring the government’s hardline approach.
International advocacy groups continue to report mass arrests and near-total internet shutdowns, while Iranian authorities have deployed anti-riot police and Basij militia across major cities to regain control.
Bessent reiterated that the United States stands with the Iranian people and said the Treasury Department would use “every tool available” to target those responsible for human rights abuses and continued repression.
