Washington: The United States on Friday announced sanctions against Iran’s Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni and several other officials, citing their role in the recent violent crackdown on anti-government protests.

According to the US Treasury Department, Interior Minister Momeni oversees the Law Enforcement Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran (LEF), which has been accused of causing the deaths of thousands of peaceful protesters.

Sanctions were also imposed on high-ranking officers of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and Iranian investor Babak Morteza Zanjani, who is alleged to have embezzled billions from public funds. For the first time, the Treasury also targeted digital currency exchanges linked to Zanjani, which processed large sums for IRGC-affiliated entities.

The move follows the European Union’s designation of the IRGC as a terrorist organization, accompanied by visa bans and asset freezes on several Iranian officials and state entities.

The Treasury emphasized that the US “supports the Iranian people in their protests against the corrupt and repressive regime in Tehran.” Under US sanctions, individuals and entities have their assets in the United States frozen, and American companies and citizens are prohibited from conducting business with them.

Iranian authorities acknowledge more than 3,000 deaths during the recent protests but claim most victims were security personnel or bystanders killed in clashes with “rioters.” However, human rights organizations warn the actual death toll may be significantly higher, possibly in the tens of thousands.