Shafaq News– Washington

The US Treasury Department on Thursday sanctioned 11 Iranian individuals, including Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, and six Iranian companies, citing their role in the crackdown on nationwide protests.

According to a statement, Larijani coordinated the state response under Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and publicly endorsed the use of force, making him “one of the first Iranian leaders to call for violence.”

The measures also cover senior security figures, including Mohammad Reza Hashemifar, head of Iran’s Law Enforcement Forces in Lorestan, and Nematollah Bagheri, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander in the province, both accused of overseeing abuses against civilians. Azizollah Maleki and Yadollah Bouali were added for actions in Fars province, where hospitals in Shiraz were reported to have been overwhelmed by gunshot victims.

The Office of Foreign Assets Control further designated 18 people and entities accused of “laundering” revenue from Iranian oil and petrochemical exports through shadow-banking networks linked to Bank Melli Iran and Shahr Bank. The funds, it added, were diverted to domestic repression and foreign armed groups instead of supporting Iran’s economy.

“The United States stands firmly behind the Iranian people in their call for freedom and justice,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated, noting the move followed President Donald Trump’s directive to apply financial pressure against those involved in human rights violations.

US authorities have imposed similar measures on more than 30 Iran-linked individuals and entities in recent months as Washington steps up pressure on Tehran’s security and financial structures.

Iran’s nationwide protests erupted on December 28 after the rial collapsed to a record low of about 1.45 million to the US dollar, driving sharp increases in food prices and inflation before spreading nationwide. The Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) said at least 2,571 people have been killed so far, including 2,403 protesters, 147 government-affiliated individuals, 12 minors, and nine civilians not involved in demonstrations. Iranian officials have acknowledged an overall death toll of around 2,000.

Tehran has repeatedly accused the United States and Israel of orchestrating efforts to destabilize the country. Araghchi said the protests began peacefully and were constitutionally legitimate but turned violent after the “infiltration of armed groups,” portraying the unrest as a foreign-driven campaign against Iran’s sovereignty.

Read more: Iran’s protests between economic crisis and political contestation