US imposes further sanctions on Iran

The US on Monday imposed fresh sanctions on 10 senior Iranian officials and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Co-operative Foundation, as Washington continues to pressure Tehran over its crackdown on nationwide protests.

The IRGC Co-operative Foundation was established to manage the organisation's presence in Iran's private sector, the Treasury said. It added that five of the foundation's board members, the deputy minister of intelligence and security, and four senior IRGC commanders had been hit with sanctions.

Among those sanctioned were Ali Asghar Norouzi, chairman of the group's board of directors; Seyyed Amin Ala Emami Tabatabai, managing director and vice chairman; and IRGC officers Mohammad Nazar Azimi, Mojtaba Fada and Hossein Tanavar.

Also sanctioned was Deputy Minister for Intelligence Naser Rashedi. The Treasury said Ministry of Intelligence and Security agents have been linked to human rights abuses aimed at suppressing the protests.

This was the ninth round of sanctions the US has issued since Tehran began its crackdown on protests and limited Iran's access to the internet, the Treasury said.

Those sanctioned are forbidden from being involved in any business with any person in the US, and any assets they may own in the US are frozen. The Treasury said Monday's designation was made in co-ordination with the UK and EU.

Earlier on Monday, the EU imposed sanctions on 37 Iranian officials and entities, freezing their assets and barring them from obtaining visas.