Iran slams sanctions on 11 US officials over crackdown on pro-Palestine student protests

The ministry announced in a statement on Wednesday that the punitive measures were taken in accordance with the Law on “Countering the Violation of Human Rights and Adventurous and Terrorist Activities of the United States in the Region”, (2017) particularly Article 5, which blacklists them for their involvement in violation of human rights by quashing the peaceful rallies.

Among these officials are: William Billy Hitchens, Commissioner of the Department of Public Safety of Georgia, Eddie Grier, Commanding Officer over Field Operations of Georgia, Linda J. Stump-Kurnick, Chief of the University of Florida Police Department and Pamela A. Smith, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia.

The statement further noted that the above-mentioned individuals will be subject to sanctions, pursuant to Articles 6, 7 and 8 of the Sixth Section of the Law.

Accordingly, their accounts and transactions will be blocked in the Iranian financial and banking systems, and their assets will be frozen within the jurisdiction of the Islamic Republic of Iran. No visa grating their entry to the territory of the Islamic Republic of Iran will be issued as well.

“All relevant national organizations and institutions of the Islamic Republic of Iran will take necessary measures for the effective implementation of the sanctions, in accordance with the regulations adopted by the related authorities,” the Iranian Foreign Ministry pointed out.

Pro-Palestine student protests initially broke out at the campus of the University of California, Los Angeles in mid-April, with demonstrators calling for the end of the Gaza war and divestment with Israel.