On Monday, it was reported in the EU’s Official Journal that eight Iranian, including Revolutionary Guard commanders and police chiefs, have been taken under the sanction list for their role in a deathly crackdown in November 2019. The head of the elite Revolutionary Guards, Hossein Salami, is among those who were imposed by the sanctions. According to a statement issued by the EU, Hossein Salami was sanctioned due to his role in suppressing the November 2019 protests by using excessive force.
Travel bans and asset freezes are among the sanctions that the EU has implemented against the Iranian officials. Apart from these, three Iranian prisoners were also targeted by the EU sanctions. These prisoners, which two of them are in Tehran, were charged with deliberately wounding the 2019 protesters with boiling water and preventing their medical treatment.
It was speculated that more than 1,500 people were killed during the protests that started on November 15, 2019, according to sources who worked at the Iranian interior ministry at that time. On the other hand, the total number was at least 304, according to the United Nations.
Iran has denied the speculations regarding the death toll. The country has also rejected the EU’s sanctions. Speaking over the issue, the Iranian spokesperson Saeed Khatibzadeh said that “In response, Iran suspends comprehensive talks with the EU, including human rights talks and all cooperation resulting from these talks, especially in the areas of terrorism, drugs, and refugees.”
With this latest move, the number of people and entities that went under the sanction list has reached 89 and 4, respectively.
