Biden announces more Iran sanctions on the anniversary of Mahsa Amini's death

Taken in coordination with the UK, Canada, Australia, and other nations, this is the United States 13th round of sanctions designations in response to Irans crackdown on protests.We will continue to take appropriate action, alongside our international partners, to hold accountable those who suppress Iranians exercise of human rights, Blinken said.Iranian authorities said Amini had a heart attack.

President Joe Biden announced new US sanctions Friday on "some of Iran's more egregious human rights abusers" as he marked the anniversary of the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who died while being held by the country's morality police.

Amini had been detained for allegedly wearing her hijab too loosely in violation of laws that require women in public to wear the Islamic headscarf. She died three days later in police custody.

Her death set off protests in dozens of cities across the country of 80 million people, with young women marching in the streets and publicly exposing and cutting off their hair. The government responded with a fierce crackdown, blaming the protests on foreign interference.

Amini remains a potent symbol in protests that have posed one of the most serious challenges to the Islamic Republic since the 2009 Green Movement protests drew millions to the streets.

Biden said Friday that the US reaffirms its "commitment to the courageous people of Iran who are carrying on her mission." "They are inspiring the world with their resilience and resolve. And together with our allies and partners, we stand with them,'' he said.

Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control on Friday listed 29 people and organisations in connection with Amini's death, including members of the government's security forces, the head of Iran's Prisons Organisation and three regime-controlled media outlets –– Fars News, Tasnim News and Press TV, among others.

In addition, the State Department imposed visa restrictions on 13 Iranian officials and others for their involvement in killing or detaining peaceful protesters or censoring them via a country-wide internet shutdown in Iran.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the US would designate 25 Iranian people, three state-backed media outlets, and an internet research firm in connection with the Iranian regime's suppression of nationwide protests. Taken in coordination with the UK, Canada, Australia, and other nations, this is the United States' 13th round of sanctions designations in response to Iran's crackdown on protests.

"We will continue to take appropriate action, alongside our international partners, to hold accountable those who suppress Iranians' exercise of human rights," Blinken said.

Iranian authorities said Amini had a heart attack. Her family has disputed that.

The US has already sanctioned over 70 Iranian people and entities "responsible for supporting the regime's oppression of its people,'' Biden said.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)