Iran has sanctioned 52 Americans for their role in the assassination of Quds Force chief Qassem Soleimani in January 2022, adding to the blacklist of Americans, including former President Donald Trump.
On Saturday, the Iranian Foreign Ministry stated that it had updated the sanctions list by blacklisting dozens of United States (US) officials for committing a “terrorist act” by murdering Soleimani and his companions. “The said persons […] have taken part in decision-making, organising, financing, and carrying out the terrorist act [and] justified terrorism which is a threat to the international peace and security,” the ministry said.
Among the new names are Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley, former National Security Advisor (NSA) Robert O’Brien, and Central Command chief Gen. Frank McKenzie.
It said that the sanctions are part of Iran’s responsibility to combat terrorism and terrorism financing, especially state-sponsored terrorism. Furthermore, the ministry added that the move is in “conformity and compliance with [Iran’s] human rights obligations.”
Yesterday Iran imposed sanctions on 52 Americans. Make no mistake: the U.S. will protect and defend its citizens. As Americans, we may disagree on politics or Iran policy. But we are united in our resolve against threats and provocations. https://t.co/2j4jqvpNPe
— Jake Sullivan (@JakeSullivan46) January 9, 2022
The ministry also announced that “all relevant national authorities will take appropriate measures for effective implementation of the sanctions set forth in the Act.” However, it did not elaborate on the exact measures it will be taking.
The US responded to the move by warning Tehran that it would face severe consequences if Americans are attacked. US NSA Jake Sullivan said on Sunday that the US “will protect and defend its citizens”, including those who formerly served.
“As Americans, we have our disagreements on politics. We have our disagreements on Iran policy. But we are united in our resolve against threats and provocations. We are united in the defence of our people,” Sullivan stressed.
In January 2020, a US drone strike killed Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the deputy commander of the Iran-backed militias in Iraq, collectively known as the Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF). The Pentagon had said that Soleimani was killed because he was plotting to attack American diplomats and service members in Iraq. In fact, the US holds the Soleimani-led Quds Force—an elite unit under the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC)—responsible for the deaths of hundreds of American coalition service members in Iraq.
Last year, Iran imposed sanctions against prominent US officials, including former President Donald Trump, former CIA directors Mike Pompeo and Gina Haspel, former US NSA John Bolton, and former Defence Secretary Mark Esper. Furthermore, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Ebrahim Raisi have repeatedly vowed to exact revenge on the US for Soleimani’s killing.