Western countries including the United States, Britain and the European Union issued multiple sanctions on Iranian individuals and entities on Friday, the eve of the first death anniversary of Mahsa Amini who died in police custody for not wearing her Hijab properly. Iran is not pleased with these new sanctions and called out on the Western countries that these sanctions are illegal.Amini was a 22-year-old Iranian Kurd, who died after she was arrested by Irans moral police in Tehran for an alleged breach of the Islamic republics strict dress code for women.Iranian Foreign Ministry commentsIn a statement issued late on Friday evening, a spokesperson of the Iranian foreign ministry, Nasser Kanani slammed the Western countries “illegal and undiplomatic actions”, according to media reports. He further condemned the “interventionist actions and statements and ridiculous and hypocritical” for the protests that erupted after the death of Mahsa Amini last year on September 16.Kanani called these decisions to be “unconstructive behaviour” which “does not serve their interests” while giving a warning to the European diplomats.What sanctions have been imposed on Iranian officialsIn the sanctions imposed by the US on Friday, 25 Iranian officials, three media outlets and an internet censorship firm were targeted on their sanctions blacklist. These groups were targeted on the basis of their connection to the suppression of protests after Aminis death.Gholamali Mohammadi, the head of Irans Prisons Organisation was also sanctioned, who the US Treasury alleged presides over serious human rights abuses including torture and rape.The media outlets that were put on the blacklist includes state-controlled Press TV as well as Tasnim and Fars news agenciesAs per the Sanctions of Britain, reports suggest that it included Irans Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Mohammad Mehdi Esmaili, his deputy Mohammad Hashemi, Tehran mayor Alireza Zakani and Iranian police spokesman Saeed Montazer Almehdi.Four Iranian officials were added by the European Union to its blacklist. These included a Revolutionary Guards commander, two regional police chiefs and the head of a prison. The sanctions were also coordinated with Canada and Australia.In last years protest that followed after the death of Mahsa Amini, hundreds of people were killed, including dozens of security forces, and thousands arrested. These protests were considered riots by the Tehran government which were influenced by foreign governments.
